BANCROFT 
LIBRARY 

-> 

THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


\ 


Marcus  King 
Mormon 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON. 


BY 

AUTHOR  OF    ''ADDED    UPON,"      A.  YOUNG    FOLKS'    HISTORY 
OK  THE  CHURCH,"  ETC. 


SAI/f  LAKE   CITV,   UTAH. 

GEORGE  Q.  CANNON  &  SONS  COMPANY, 

PUBLISHERS. 
1900. 


I  O  3 


PREFACE. 


THE  little  story  which  follows  may  be  said 
to  represent  incidents  in  the  experiences  of 
many  members  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints.  We  believe  it  to  be 
sound  and  healthful  in  principle;  and  have 
therefore  consented,  in  response  to  numerous 
requests,  to  present  it  in  book  form,  the 
original  publication  being  as  a  serial  in  the 
Juvenile  Instructor.  Our  hope  is  that  it  may 
instruct,  encourage  and  entertain  those  who 
read  it. 

THE  PUBLISHERS. 


Marcus   King,   Mormon. 


CHAPTER  I. 


OY  and  sorrow,  hope  and  fear,  mingled 
their  conflicting  emotions  in  the  breast 
of  the  Reverend  Marcus  King.  He 
had  sat  by  his  writing  table  all  the  afternoon; 
yet  not  even  the  outlines  of  his  Sunday  ser- 
mon were  drawn.  The  sun  went  down  and 
the  pink  in  the  western  sky  turned  to  a  fiery 
red  which  streamed  in  at  the  large,  open 
window  and  flooded-  the  room  with  its  warm 
color.  The  pale,  nearly  haggard  face  of  the 
young  man  sitting  with  his  chair  turned  to 
the  light  was  bathed  in  the  soft  glow. 

Marcus  King  had  reached  a  turning  in  his 
journey  of  life.  That  journey  had  been,  up 
to  the  present,  one  of  ease,  having  led  him 
by  gentle  curves  and  grades  into  pleasant 


6  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

places.  But  now  the  end  of  it  seemed  near; 
whichever  way  he  turned,  a  difficulty  of  some 
kind  faced  him. 

It  had  come  about  in  this  way:  One  day 
as  Mr.  King  was  sitting  in  his  study  looking 
up  matter  for  a  sermon,  he  admitted  a  man 
who  was  canvassing  the  town  with  religious 
tracts  and  books.  Mr.  King  made  it  a  rule 
to  entertain  all  such  who  came  to  him.  «If 
they  have  a  truth  to  give  me,»  said  he,  «why, 
God  be  praised  for  that;  and  if  they  have  not, 
there  is  no  harm  done.)) 

The  man  who  called  on  him  that  day  was  a 
rare  «find,»  as  he  proved  to  be  a  Mormon, 
— a  real,  live  Mormon  such  as  he  had  read 
about,  a  Mormon  missionary  come  prepared 
with  tracts  and  books  to  present  his  doctrine 
to  all  who  would  listen.  The  missionary 
found  Mr.  King  a  wonderful  exception  to  the 
usual  minister  of  the  Gospel.  He  had  listened 
attentively  to  his  message,  asked  numerous 
questions,  and  at  last  had  invited  the  «Mor- 
mon))  to  call  again.  This  was  the  beginning. 
Many  and  long  were  the  talks  these  two  men 
had  after  that,  until  it  was  well  known  by 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  7 

the  good  people  of  Hungerton  that  the  Rev- 
erend Marcus  King  had  the  conversion  of  a 
Mormon  missionary  in  charge.     Little   did 
they  dream  of  the  true  state  of  things.  Little 
did  they  think  that  it  was  the  minister  that 
had  been  brought  face  to  face  with  a  great 
truth;  one  that  he  could  not  reason  away, 
try  as  he  would;  a  mighty  truth  that  stood 
before  him  at  all  times,  close  his  eyes  as  he 
would;  a  truth  that  he  could  not  simply  ac- 
cept and  engraft  into  his  own  religion;  but  a 
truth  so  far-reaching  and  powerful  that  it 
seemed  to  overturn  his  own  and  strip  him  of 
every  vestige  of  divine  authority  as  a  servant 
of  God,  and  a  minister  of  His  word.  In  short, 
that  is  the  reason  why  joy  and  sorrow,  hope 
and  fear  mingled  in  conflicting  chaos  in  his 
breast  that  afternoon,  when  his  work  was 
neglected,  and  tomorrow  was  the  Sabbath. 
Joy  was  there  because  he  had  found  a  great 
truth;    sorrow,  because   of    his   overturned 
idols;  hope,  for  his  soul's  future  salvation; 
fear,  because  of  the  opinions  of  those  who 
were  dear  to  him,  and  v>  hose  lives  were  in- 
timately connected  with  his  own. 


8  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

The  brightness  faded  out  of  the  sky,  but 
how  deep  and  unfathomable  was  the  blue 
that  came  in  its  place  behind  the  elms  in  the 
garden!  The  cool  evening  breeze  swept 
through  the  window  and  Marcus  leaned  back 
in  his  chair  to  enjoy  it.  An  open  book  lay 
on  the  window  sill,  and  at  the  sound  of  ap- 
proaching footsteps,  he  hurriedly  closed  it 
and  placed  it  in  a  drawer;  but  no  one  came 
in  and  he  leaned  his  head  again  on  the  cush- 
ions of  his  chair  and  gazed  out  at  the  sky. 

He  had  been  a  minister  of  the  word 
scarcely  a  year,  a  short  year  it  now  seemed 
to  him,  filled  with  many  varied  and  pleasant 
experiences.  First,  four  years  at  college. 
Ah,  those  were  happy  years!  Then  the  final 
preparation  for  the  ministry  which  his  father 
so  fondly  hoped  he  would  follow.  It  was  the 
one  wish  of  his  that  his  son  should  take  his 
place  as  pastor  over  the  flock  at  Hungerton, 
and  now  at  the  early  age  of  twenty-five  he 
had  occupied  his  father's  place  for  nearly  a 
year.  The  chair  he  sat  in  had  belonged  to 
his  father,  the  writing  table  had  been  his 
father's  work  bench  for  nearly  twenty  years. 


.  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  9 

The  fine  library,  covering  nearly  two  walls  of 
the  "room,  was  his  father's  collecting;  and 
there  above  him  on  the  wall  hung  his  por- 
trait, looking  down  upon  him  with  a  smile. 
What  would  he  say,  what  would  he  think  of 
his  son,  could  he  know  the  thoughts  that 
coursed,  sometimes  like  fiery  steeds,  through 
his  brain?  What  would  .he  give  to  be  able 
to  talk  to  his  father  about  these  matters,  to 
get  counsel  from  him! 

After  all,  the  religion  that  was  good 
enough  for  his  father  ought  to  be  good 
enough  for  him.  What  had  saved  his  father 
ought  certainly  to  save  him.  But  then,  but 
then,  that  was  not  the  point.  Would  his 
father  not  have  accepted  this  truth  had  he 
been  given  the  chance?  Should  not  truth  be 
accepted  anyhow,  no  matter  when,  or  where, 
or  from  whom  it  came?  In  former  days  the 
condemnation  was  that  light  had  come  into 
the  world,  and  men  would  not  receive  it. 
Was  it  not  the  same  today,  yes,  in  all  ages 
of  the  world? 

In  was  at  this  point  of  his  reflections  that 
Marcus  King's  most  inner  conscience  brought 


10  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

to  his  understanding  the  fact  that  he  had  re- 
ceived an  answer  to  his  prayers.  Much  of 
the  theology  he  had  learned  at  college,  and 
that  which  he  was  supposed  to  teach,  was  dim 
and  of  doubtful  meaning.  He  had  always 
wished  to  understand  some  of  those  dogmas 
which  he  could  not  unreservedly'accept.  He 
saw  now  that  doubt,  peace-destroying  doubt, 
had  been  creeping  silently  into  his  soul,  and 
to  be  perfectly  honest  with  himself  he  could 
now  no  longer  close  his  eyes  to  the  fact. 
This  new  light  had  thrown  its  searching  rays 
into  recesses  of  his  soul  that  hitherto  had 
been  unseen,  and  he  could  deceive  himself  no 
longer  as  to  his  true  standing.  He  had  been 
asking  for  light  and  God  had  sent  it  to  him. 
Now  he  must  not  reject  it. 

Marcus  must  have  fallen  asleep  in  the 
quiet  twilight,  for  the  tired  brain  ceased  its 
work,  and  when  he  regained  consciousness  he 
heard  the  soft  music  of  the  piano  in  the  ad- 
joining room.  The  door  was  open  and  the 
strains  floated  in  to  him. 

The*  melody  was  a  familiar  one  and  he 
knew  by  it  whose  fingers  so  lightly  touched 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  11 

the  keys.  Presently  the  music  ceased  and 
there  appeared  in  the  open  doorway  the  fig- 
ure of  a  young  woman.  She  was  dressed  in 
white  and  she  held  a  bunch  of  great  red 
roses  in  her  hand.  ^ 

«Am  I  trespassing?))  she  asked. 

«What  a  question,  Alice!    Come  in.» 

She  entered  the  room  and  took  a  seat  by 
the  window.  He  drew  his  chair  up  close  to 
her,  pinched  her  chin  and  then  kissed  her. 

«Your  cheeks  are  full  of  roses  tonight,)) 
said  he. 

«0,  Fm  always  out  in  the  garden  since  the 
roses  came.  Environment,  you  know.)) 

«It's  getting  dark.  I  must  have  had  a  nap, 
just  before  you  came.)) 

((Shall  I  light  the  lamp?)) 

((No:  don't.  Can  there  be  anything  more 
beautiful  than  this?)) 

They  moved  their  chairs  closer  to  the  win- 
dow. There  was  still  a  faint  blush  in  the 
west,  and  here  and  there  through  the  trees 
twinkled  the  first  stars  of  the  night.  Neither 
was  very  talkative  and  they  sat  for  some 
time  looking  at  the  sky. 


12 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 


«Alice,»  said  he — they  were  close  together 
and  he  did  not  need  to  speak  loudly — ((you're 
a  pretty  good  critic.  What  do  you  think  of 
this  little— well,  parable,  I  call  it?  I  thought 
to  use  it  in  illustrating  a  point  tomorrow: 

«A  certain  man  had  a  beautiful  pleasure 
boat  which  he  launched  on  the  placid  waters 
of  a  small  lake.  With  him  in  this  boat 
he  took  all  his  relatives  and  a  great  many  of 
his  friends.  They  had  with  them  also  every- 
thing in  the  way  of  convenience  and  comfort, 
and  life  with  them  was  very  pleasant  indeed; 
for  strange  to  say  all  this  little  company 
thought  that  the  little  lake  on  which  they 
sailed  back  and  forth  was  the  only  water  in 
the  world. 

«But  one  day  a  man  came  to  the  master  of 
the  vessel  and  told  him  that  he  and  all  his 
company  were  deceived,  and  that  the  lake 
they  were  on  was  but  a  very  small  part  of 
the  water  of  the  earth;  that  at  considerable 
distance  from  them  was  the  mighty  ocean 
teeming  with  wonders,  whose  boundless  shores 
were  lined  with  f  peoples  and  cities  never 
heard  of  by  them.  This  stranger  took  the 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  13 

master  and  showed  him  a  narrow  passage 
which  led  out  of  the  lake,  and  as  the  master 
looked  he  saw  that  it  was  filled  with  rocks, 
and  that  at  places  the  current  was  strong 
and  dangerous.  The  stranger  also  examined 
the  vessel  and  pointed  out  many  weak  places 
in  it,  and  advised  the  master  that  if  he  ever 
contemplated  leaving  the  (mill-pond,)  as  he 
called  it,  he  should  get  a  stronger  vessel  in 
which  to  make  the  journey. 

«Now  all  this  had  its  effect  on  the  master. 
He  saw  the  littleness  of  his  and  his  friends' 
position,  and  he  longed  for  the  greater 
knowledge  of  the  vast  ocean.  But  there 
were  the  rocks  and  the  waves  and  the  narrow 
channel.  He  doubted  very  much  whether 
his  friends  would  believe  in  the  stranger's 
words  to  the  extent  of  following  them.  The 
lake  was  small  but  it  was  always  still,  and 
even  if  the  vessel  was  deficient  in  parts,  out- 
wardly it  looked  secure,  and  would,  no  doubt 
carry  them  as  long  as  was  necessary. 

«And  so  the  master  pondered  much  on  the 
matter — until,  well,  until  his  lady  love  came 
to  him  and  he  propounded  the  question  to 


14  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

her  of  what  he  should  do.» 

«And  further,  until  his  mother  came  and 
called  him  to  lunch,))  said  Alice,  as  she  saw 
Mrs.  King  appearing  in  the  doorway  with  a 
lamp  in  her  hand. 

((Excuse  me,  folks,  but  it's  lunch  time, 
isn't  it?»  she  said. 

«Yes,  mother,  we're  coming.  Let  me  close 
the  window,  Alice,  I  feel  chilly.)) 

((Marcus,))  said  the  mother  at  the  table, 
«You  are  studying  too  hard  of  late.  You 
look  quite  haggard  tonight.  Don't  you  think 
so,  Alice?)) 

«I  certainly  do.  He  acts  so  strangely, 
too.» 

«0,  now,  don't  you  folks  worry  about  me. 
My  vacation  next  month  will  bring  me  around 
again,  won't  it,  Alice?))  But  Alice  said  noth- 
ing. He  had  reference  to  their  wedding  trip. 

After  they  had  arisen  from  the  table  Alice 
explained  to  Marcus  that  she  had  been  sent 
to  get  him  to  visit  one  of  his  congregation 
who  was  in  trouble. 

'  «Yes,»  said  he,  ((we'll  go  together.     Alice 
Merton,  you  ought   to  be  the  shepherd  of 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  15 

this  flock  instead  of  me.  Come,  put  on  your 
wraps.)) 

The  streets  of  Hungerton  were  full  of 
people  enjoying  the  beautiful  evening.  The 
gas  lamps  flickered  dimly  in  the  bright  moon- 
light. 

«What  do  you  think  of  my  parable?))  he 
asked. 

«I  don't  understand  it,»  she  answered. 

«No,  it  is  not  a  good  one.  There  are 
better  in  St.  Matthew,  especially  the  one 
about  the  merchant  finding  a  pearl  of  great 
price,  and  selling  all  he  had  that  he  might 
buy  it.  But  whom  are  we  going  to  see, 
Alice?)) 

«Henry  Sanford.    He's  now  in  jail.)) 

«What?  What's  poor  Henry  done  now?» 

«He  has  been  raving  again,  and  last  night 
he  tried  to  kill  the  whole  family,  himself  in- 
cluded. It's  a  pitiable  case,  and  some  thought 
you  ought  to  talk  with  him.  You  might  do 
him  some  good.)) 

((Poor  man!»  was  all  Marcus  said. 

The  jailor  met  them  on  the  courthouse 
steps,  and,  knowing  their  errand,  he  imme- 


16  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

diately  led  the  way  with  his  lantern.  Into 
the  basement  and  along  a  corridor  they  went 
to  where  the  man  was  confined.  The  jailor 
unlocked  the  door  and  they  all  went  in.  By 
the  light  of  the  lantern  they  saw  a  man  sit- 
ting on  a  bed  in  a  corner  of  the  cell.  His 
hands  were  in  fetters.  He  raised  his  head 
as  they  entered.  He  was  a  well-dressed, 
seemingly  intelligent  man  of  about  fifty. 

«Good  evening,  Henry,»  said  the  minister, 
advancing  to  him. 

«Good  evening,  Mr.  King,»  was  the  calm 
reply.  «If  the  good  jailor  will  take  these 
pieces  of  iron  from  my  wrists  I  will  shake 
hands  with  you.» 

Marcus  looked  inquiringly  at  the  jailor, 
who  shook  his  head  and  said:  Couldn't  do 
it,  sir:  He's  all  right  'now  no  doubt,  but 
there's  no  telling  when  he  might  become  wild 
again.)) 

The  jailor  found  a  seat  for  Alice,  set  the 
lantern  on  a  table  and  left,  saying  that  he 
would  be  close  at  hand  in  case  he  was  needed. 
Marcus  sat  down  on  the  bedside. 

«My  poor  friend  Henry,    so  you  are    in 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  17 

trouble  again,))  said  the  minister.  «Can  I 
do  anything  for  you?  What  seems  to  be  the 
difficulty  this  time?)) 

«Mr.  King,))  said  the  man,  «Fm  pleased  to 
see  you;  but  it's  too  bad  that  you  and  Miss 
Merton  should  have  to  visit  such  a  place  as 
this — there,  I  know  you  will  say  that  it  is  all 
right,  but  it  isn't  for  all  of  that.  You've  no 
business  here,  I've  no  business  here.  You 
ought  to  be  whirling  in  the  pleasures  of  life, 
I  ought  to  be  dead.  This  cell  is  too  good  for 
me.  The  grave  is  my  place,  and  hell  is  my 
home,  my  natural  home,  sir.  In  the  eternal 
fitness  of  things  I  was  meant  to  dwell  there. 
The  great  God  who  created  me,  who  made 
the  universe  out  of  nothing,  sir,  has  a  right 
to  say  where  I  belong.  Hell  is  my  natural 
abode,  and  Satan  is  my  master;  and  it's  all 
for  the  pleasure  of  God  and  the  manifesta- 
tion of  His  glory.)) 

The  two  shuddered  at  his  words. 

«My  dear  friend,  you  are  mistaken,))  said 
Marcus.  «God  is  not  such  a  being  as  you 
imagine.  (God  is  love,)  think  of  what  that 
means.  He  is  not  willing  that  any  should 


18  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

perish,  but  that  all  should  come  to  repent- 
ance.)) 

((Repentance,  did  you  say?  What  does 
that  mean  to  me?  To  you  and  your  fair 
lady  it  may  mean  something,  but  to  me  it  has 
no  significance.  Listen,  sir,  listen:  by  the 
decree  of  God,  for  the  manifestation  of  His 
glory,  some  men  and  angels  are  predestinated 
unto  everlasting  life,  and  others  fore-ordained 
to  everlasting  death.  I  am  one  of  the  latter.)) 

«No,  friend,  you  are  not.)) 

«I  tell  you  I  am.  How  do  you  know  I  am 
not?  How  can  anyone  know  but  one's  self? 
I  tell  you  I  am  one  of  the  damned  and  I  can't 
help  myself.  And  I'll  tell  you  another  thing, 
friend  King,  and  you  can  preach  it  tomorrow: 
this  heritage  of  mine  I  have  transmitted  to 
my  children.  They  are  also  heirs  of  damna- 
tion, and  non-elect  children;  and  should  they 
live  and  beget  children  this  heritage  will  also 
go  to  them.  But  I'll  stop  it  all,  sir,  I'll  put 
and  end  to  it.  Me  and  mine  shall  perish  from 
off  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  we'll  see 
whether  the  number  of  the  damned  can 
neither  be  increased  nor  diminished.)) 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  19 

«Let  us  go,  Marcus,))  said  Alice,  «I  can 
stand  it  no  longer.)) 

«He  is  raving  mad.  We  can  do  no  good. 
I  am  too  late,  too  late!»  and  there  was  a 
tremble  in  Marcus'  voice  as  he  said  it. 

From  the  jail  they  went  to  the  unfortu- 
nate man's  family.  The  wife  was  in  the 
greatest  distress.  She  told  them  how  her 
husband  had  brooded  for  a  long  time  on 
religious  questions,  and  how  at  last  he  had 
used  violence  against  them.  «Last  night  was 
the  worst,))  she  had  seen.  «When  he  came 
home  from  work,  he  would  have  no  supper, 
but  sat  glaring  like  a  madman  at  us  all.  Sud- 
denly, he  sprang  to  his  feet,  grasped  the 
bread  knife  and  shouted,  (I'll  begin  with  the 
youngest!)  He  made  a  dash  for  the  baby.  In 
the  tumult  which  followed,"  the  neighbors 
came  in  and  he  was  prevented  from  doing 
any  serious  harm;  but  it  was  all  so  awful!)) 

Marcus  could  say  but  little,  either  to  the 
distracted  mother,  or  to  Alice,  as  they  walked 
home  that  night.  The  only  remark  he  made 
about  Henry  Sanford  was  that  he  had  found 
a  rotten  plank  in  the  imaginative  pleasure 


20  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

boat,  and  not  knowing  how  to  avert  the  ex- 
pected disaster,  it  had  turned  his  mind;  but 
Alice  failed  to  get  the  meaning  of  the  figure, 
as  she  had  that  of  the  parable. 

The  night  following  the  visit  to  the  jail 
was  passed  restlessly  by  Marcus  King.  He 
was  up  with  the  first  gray  light  in  the  east, 
and  out  into  the  woods  above  the  town  of 
Hungerton.  He  loved  the  freedom  and  quiet 
of  the  forest,  besides  it  was  better  than  to 
muse  in  the  close  library  at  home.  It  would 
not  do  to  undermine  his  health.  With  loss 
of  bodily  strength  might  come  weakness  of 
spiritual  power,  and  he  might  be  called  upon 
any  day  now  to  exercise  that  to  its  utmost 
capacity.  The  inevitable  was  before  him.  He 
was  sure  of  that.  He  would  have  to  resign 
his  pastorate,  and  that  at  no  distant  day;  but 
if  he  would  have  the  power  to  sell  all  he  had 
for  the  pearl  he  had  found,  why,  that  was  a 
thing  God  only  knew. 

The  birds  know  the  value  of  the  morning. 
Then  they  are  always  out  in  full  force,  and 
that  morning  they  greeted  the  early  visitor 
with  a  wild  chorus  of  melody;  and  Marcus 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  21 

envied  the  happy  little  hearts,  so  free  from 
care  and  responsibility.  Seated  at  last  on  a 
mossy  rock,  Marcus  watched  the  sun  come 
up.  Was  his  own  sun  rising  or  setting? 
Then  he  thought  of  his  friend  Henry  Sanf ord, 
confined  in  a  dismal  cell,  his  limbs  bound  with 
fetters,  and  worst  of  all,  deprived  of  that 
most  precious  of  gifts,  his  reason.  What 
had  brought  him  to  such  a  state?  Reason- 
ing on  religion,  his  own  religion,  the  religion 
which  he  had  been  expounding  to  his  hearers. 
The  demented  man  had  repeated  one  of  the 
articles  of  the  Westminster  Confession, which 
was  their  articles  of  faith  and  rule  of  prac- 
tice. Some  men  were  predestinated  to  ever- 
lasting life,  and  others  to  everlasting  death, 
«and  their  number  is  so  certain  and  definite 
that  it  cannot  be  either  increased  or  dimin- 
ished.)) If  that  be  true,  why  preach  any 
longer?  Of  what  use  were  efforts  to  bring 
souls  unto  Christ?  The  whole  number  one 
way  or  the  other  had  been  irrevocably  fixed. 
It  was  the  height  of  folly  for  him  or  any 
other  preacher  to  try  to  overturn  the  fixed 
decree  of  the  Almighty. 


22  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

It  was  an  abominable  doctrine,  and  who 
could  tell  what  misery  and  pain  of  spirit  it 
had  brought  to  the  human  race!  Henry 
Sanford  was  an  example,  and  was  not  he, 
Marcus  King  the  preacher,  answerable  in  part 
for  his  condition? 

Marcus  climbed  further  up  the  hill  and 
from  a  clearing  in  the  forest  he  saw  the  town 
at  his  feet.  It  was  a  beautiful  place,  and 
not  the  least  fair  was  his  own  home,  and  the 
church  where  he  was  to  preach  that  very 
day.  The  vines  had  climbed  up  over  the 
windows,  protecting  them  from  the  hot  sum- 
mer sun.  The  flower  beds  in  the  lawn  at  the 
side  of  the  church  showed  the  skill  of  the 
gardener  in  the  diamonds  and  circles  and 
crosses.  The  broad,  slowly-flowing  river  half 
encircled  the  town  and  then  disappeared  be- 
hind the  green  hills. 

And  here  he  was,  the  Reverend  Marcus 
King,  thinking  seriously  of  forsaking  all  this 
and  becoming  a  Mormon.  Think  of  it,  a 
Mormon!  One  of  a  despised,  hated,  and 
ridiculed  sect.  Was  it  worth  it?  And  there 
was  Alice,  Alice  who  loved  him,  and  whom 


MARCUS   KING,   MORMON.  23 

he  loved:  but  she  was  a  good,  pure,  sensible 
girl.  He  would  explain  it  all  to  her  and  she 
would  not  forsake  him.  They  were  to  be 
married  next  month.  With  her  as  his  wife 
the  passage  through  the  rocky  channel  could 
be  borne.  If  all  others  forsook  him,  surely 
she  would  not.  Thus  he  reasoned  until  the 
church  bells  rang  up  from  below,  and  called 
him  back  to  the  present.  Once  more  he 
would  preach.  One  Sabbath  more  he  would 
perform  his  accustomed  duty,  and  that  would 
be  the  end.  So  he  walked  home  with  that 
purpose  fixed, 


CHAPTER  II. 


^^WHE  Mormon  missionary,  Elder  James, 
Cl,  continued  to  be  a  frequent  visitor  at 
the  home  of  the  Reverend  Marcus 
King.  An  intimate  friendship  had  grown  up 
between  them,  and  they  already  treated  each 
other^as  brothers.  Elder  James  was  a  plain, 


24  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

simple  man,  a  little  older  than  Marcus,  not 
learned  in  the  schools  but  thoroughly  con- 
versant with  the  scriptures.  His  language 
was  often  faulty  when  measured  by  the  rules 
of  grammar.  His  coat  was  not  strictly  of 
the  ministerial  cut;  and  altogether  his  man- 
ner was  awkward  and  srnattered  considerably 
of  the  backwoods.  One  evening  during  the 
week  following  the  last  Sunday  mentioned, 
Elder  James  was  at  the  clergyman's  residence. 
They  had  been  considering  some  Gospel  sub- 
jects, and  the  missionary  had  been  relating 
some  of  his  experiences  on  the  wild  plains  of 
the  West. 

«Mr.  King,))  said  the  Elder,  «you  may  won- 
der why  such  an  uneducated,  unpolished  man 
as  I  should  be  sent  out  to  preach  the  Gospel, 
but  the  truth  is  that  we  all  go  as  the  call 
finds  us,  both  the  learned  and  the  unlearned, 
I  mean  in  regard  to  worldly  wisdom.  As 
for  me,  I  have  had  very  little  chance  for 
schooling.  You  know  some  of  our  history 
in  Ohio,  Missouri  and  Illinois.  I,  with  my 
parents,  have  been  through  it  all,  and  you 
can  understand  what  chances  I  could  have 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  25 

amid  continuous  mobbings,  drivings  and  con- 
fusion; and  then,  the  last  few  years  have 
been  spent  in  the  hearb  of  the  great  Amer- 
ican desert  trying  to  force  bread  from  a  bar- 
ren waste.  My  face  is  yet  tanned  from  ex- 
posure, and  my  hands  have  not  yet  lost  their 
callousness;  but  for  all  that,  my  friend,  we 
have  the  pure  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
what  is  more,  divine  authority  to  teach  it.» 

«I  say  amen  to  that,))  replied  Marcus.  He 
went  to  the  table,  and  picking  up  a  small 
volume,  opened  it  and  said:  ((Would  you  like 
to  know  what  I  had  to  do  to  become  a  minis- 
ter? what  all  who  preach,  the  word  in  our 
church  must  do,  before  they  can  become  min- 
isters? Well,  here  it  is,  stated  plainly  in 
our  rules  of  discipline.  First,  we  must  be 
graduates  of  some  college,  second,  take  a  two 
years'  course  in  divinity,  then  pass  a  critical 
examination,  and  at  last  be  taken  for  a  time 
on  trial,  and  all  this  because,  as  it  here  reads, 
(it  is  highly  reproachful  to  religion,  and  dan- 
gerous to  the  church  to  entrust  the  ministry 
to  weak  and  ignorant  men.)  What  do  you 
think  of  that?)) 


26  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

«I  think  that  <God  hath  chosen  the  foolish 
things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  wise,) 
even  as  He  did  in  days  of  old  when  He  called 
simple  fishermen  directly  from  their  nets  to 
be  ministers  of  the  Gospel.  Mind  you,  I  do 
not  depreciate  an  education.  A  scholarly 
man,  if  he  would  let  God  use  him,  would  cer- 
tainly be  a  shining  shaft  in  God's  hand;  but 
it  has  been  the  experience  of  all  time  that 
the  Almighty  has  worked  with  the  weak 
things  of  the  world.  They  are  more  pliable 
in  His  hand.  Not  that  the  servants  of  the 
Lord  will  always  remain  weak,  though  they 
must  remain  humble.  No;  but  it  seems  that 
to  make  a  beginning,  .God  chooses  simple- 
minded  men.» 

«To  change  the  subject,))  said  Marcus,  «how 
would  you  like  to  preach  in  the  church  next 
Sunday?)) 

«I  would  like  nothing  better,  providing  it 
is  with  everybody's  consent.)) 

((Well,  I  don't  know  about  that.  I  would 
have  to  take  the  responsibility.  I  am  going 
to  resign.  I  can't  stand  this  double  dealing 
any  longer;  but  I  would  like  to  hear  you  ex- 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  27 

plain  your  principles  in  your  simple  way  to 
my  congregation,  preach  a  sermon  like  the 
one  you  gave  at  the  schoolhouse  in  Willow 
the  other  evening.  How  would  it  do,  if,  after 
I  make  my  explanations  and  reasons  for  my 
action,  I  call  upon  you  to  explain  the  first 
principles?)) 

«No;  it  would  be  taking  undue  advantage 
of  the  people.  We  have  had  meetings  here 
in  your  town,  we  have  distributed  tracts  to 
every  house  that  would  receive  one.  We 
have  given  them  every  opportunity.  Your 
plan  would  only  bring  on  opposition.)) 

«Yes;  I  can  see  it.  I  had,  friend  James, 
made  up  my  mind  to  preach  no  more,  but  I 
must  give  my  reasons  for  resigning,  and  Fm 
going  to  do  it  next  Sunday.)) 

«You  have  considered  well  the  step  you  are 
taking?  You  know  the  consequences?)) 

«Yes,  to  both  your  questions.  I  have  been 
three  months  now  thinking  about  it.  I  am 
going  to  test  your  promise.  <For  what  shall 
it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole 
world,  and  lose  his  own  soul?)  As  for  the 
consequences,  I  know  my  act  will  make  a 


28  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

sensation,  but  I  cannot  help  that.  I  must 
follow  the  light  as  God  reveals  it  to  me.  God 
must  help  me  in  the  result.  Brother,  pray 
for  me  that  I  may  have  strength  to  go  through 
the  ordeal.)) 

Could  Marcus  King  have  taken  two  others 
with  him,  he  could  cheerfully  have  faced  the 
world.  One  of  these  was  his  mother  and  the 
other  was  Alice  Merton.  He  had  carefully 
introduced  the  new  doctrines  to  them  both, 
placing  tracts  and  books  in  their  hands  to 
read;  but  usually  they  had  treated  them  as 
trifling  things,  not  to  be  taken  seriously.  His 
mother  had  received  the  Mormon  Elder  kindly 
at  first,  but  when  his  visits  continued  and 
Marcus  had  him  to  dinner  nearly  every  day, 
she  had  objected. 

«I  don't  want  him  here,))  she  had  said  with 
some  warmth.  «It  is  the  talk  of  the  town 
already,  that  you,  Marcus,  you  who  should  be 
a  defender  of  the  people  against  impostors 
and  wicked  men,  take  into  your  very  home  a 
member  of  the  vile  Mormon  sect.  What  is 
it  coming  to?  Are  we  to  be  disgraced?  Has 
he  won  you  over  to  his  pernicious  faith?)) 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  29 

Marcus  had  tried  to  explain  matters,  but 
when  she  found  that  he  was  actually  in  sym- 
pathy with  the  Mormon  and  that  he  defended 
him,  she  had  been  overcome  with  emotion. 
The  same  scene  had  been  repeated  again  and 
again  until  Marcus  plainly  saw  that  further 
reasonings  would  be  useless. 

As  for  Alice  Merton,  Marcus  loved  her  as 
he  had  loved  no  other  woman,  but  he  had  de- 
cided what  to  choose  between  love  and  duty. 
((Seek  ye  first  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  His 
righteousness;  and  all  these  things  shall  be 
added  unto  you,»  was  a  promise  which  he 
meant  to  prove.  He  had  not  talked  much 
with  her  on  his  changed  views;  and  she, 
seemingly,  did  not  get  any  meaning  from  the 
little  figures  of  speech  which  he  had  used. 
She  had  partly  assented  to  some  of  the  views 
expressed  in  the  pamphlets  he  had  given  her, 
but  the  fact  that  they  had  come  from  a 
source  so  foul  as  Mormonism  was  enough  to 
make  them  of  no  consequence. 

One  day  when  they  were  out  sailing  on  the 
river  he  had  asked  her  if  she  would  have 
loved  him  just  the  same,  had  he  not  been  a 


30  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

preacher,  but  just  a  common  laborer,  say,  for 
example,  a  mason  or  a  farmer.  She  had 
laughed  heartily  at  the  question,  and  had 
taken  her  sailor  hat  and  fanned  his  red  face. 
He  had  pressed  her  for  an  answer  and  she 
had  said,  how  could  she  know.  Then,  doubt- 
less, they  never  would  have  met. 

«But  suppose  I  should  now  resign  my  pas- 
torate and  turn  farmer,  a  real  farmer  I  mean, 
to  wear  overalls 'and  work  in  the  fields,  would 
you  still  marry  me  next  month  as  you  have 
promised?))  He  did  not  smile  but  seemed  to 
mean  what  he  said,  and  the  tears  had  come 
into  the  blue  eyes  of  Alice. 

«You  are  cruel,))  she  had  said. 

«Forgive  me  if  you  think  so,  Alice;  but  -I 
ask  you  the  question  in  all  earnestness.  It 
may  come  to  that  yet.  We  know  not  what 
life  has  before  us.  My  Alice  loves  me  and 
will  be  mine,  whatever  befalls,  will  she  not?» 
And  she  had  yielded  her  head  into  his  arm 
and  had  whispered  «Yes.» 

On  Friday  afternoon  Marcus  had  finished 
the  outlines  of  what  he  should  say  the  next 
Sabbath.  He  could  not  bring  himself  to 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  31 

write  it  out  in  full.  He  had  thought  to  speak 
to  various  leading  members  of  his  congrega- 
tion about  the  step  he  was  to  take,  so  that 
it  would  not  be  such  a  surprise;  but  that 
might  bring  on  an  opposition  that  would 
prevent  him  from  saying  anything,  and  he 
wanted  to  make  the  explanation  to  the  whole 
congregation.  So  he  said  not  a  word,  not 
even  to  his  brethren  in  the  ministry. 

That  Friday  evening  he  called  on  Alice. 
The  time  was  opportune.  Mr.  Merton  was 
away  on  business,  and  Mrs.  Merton  had  re- 
tired with  a  headache.  They  would  be  alone, 
and  Marcus  could  speak  the  plain  truth  un- 
disturbed. Alice  looked  her  best.  The  dress 
of  soft  white;  the  roses  in  bosom  and  hair; 
the  quiet,  saddened  smile  on  the  fair  face- 
all  this  beauty  went  to  Marcus  with  a  force 
that  made  his  heart  throb  with  pain. 

Marcus  could  not  hide  his  emotion,  try  as 
he  would. 

«What  is  the  matter?))  she  asked,  as  he 
took  her  hands.*  They  sat  on  the  sofa,  and 
he  looked  into  her  face  for  a  long  time.  Then 
he  said: 


32  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

((Alice,  I  am  going  to  resign  my  pastorate 
next  Sunday.)) 

She  said  nothing,  but  her  hands  trembled. 

(d  am  going  to  be  plain  Mr.  King.  Will 
that  make  any  difference  in  your  love?)) 

«No;  if  that  is  all.  I  will  love  Farmer 
Marcus  King  the  same  as  the  Reverend  Mar- 
cus King.  My  word  and  promise  is  the  same.)) 

((But,  darling,  you  suspect  more  than  that. 
You  can  guess  by  this  time  why  I  am  com- 
pelled to  resign.)) 

((What  should  I  know?  You  have  never 
told  me.)) 

(d  have  found  that  my  position  is  a  false 
one.  My  authority  as  a  servant  of  God  is 
an  assumed  one;  the  doctrines  I  have  been 
teaching,  that  is  some  of  them,  are  not  true. 
God  has  opened  my  eyes  to  a  greater  light, 
and  Alice,  my  darling,  I  am  compelled  to  ac- 
cept that.)) 

((And  that  light  is  Mormonism?))  said  Alice, 
whose  face  was  ashen  gray. 

«Yes;  it  is  known  by  that  name,  but  in 
truth  it  is  the  pure  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Listen,  Alice,  0,  listen  to  me» — she  had 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  33 

turned  away  her  head — «Do  not  condemn  me; 
do  not  reject  the  light.  We  will  pray  God 
together.  He  will  open  your  eyes  as  He  has 
mine.  We  will  begin  our  new  life  together, 
stand  by  each  other  through  the  trials  that 
will  come.  0,  Alice,  you  can  not  conceive  of 
the  beauty  and  the  grandeur  this  new  light 
has  opened  up  to  me,  will  open  up  to  you,  my 
darling.  You  may  not  fully  understand  it 
now,  but  you  will — Alice,  I  cannot  go  out  in 
the  cold  world  without  you.» 

She  did  not  cry  out,  she  did  not  weep;  her 
love  had  changed  to  fierce  resentfulness;  her 
tears  had  turned  to  ice. 

«Ah,  yes;  I  see  it  all  now,  you  are  going 
to  join  the  Mormons.)) 

«I  know  that  is  a  harsh  and  evil  sounding 
word,  but  if  you  could  only  understand  the 
truth,  Alice,  it  would  lose  that  aspect.)) 

«I  hate  the  word,  Marcus.  The  brand  of 
the  devil  clings  to  its  very  sound.  I  shrink 
from  it  as  I  do  from  perdition.  Do  not  name 
it  again!)) 

«Then  it  is  all  over  with  us,  Alice,  you  love 
me  no  longer9  You  will  not  be  my  wife?)) 


34  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

((Marcus  King,  a  Mormon,  I  can  not,  will 
not  marry.  Be  any  other  honest  thing  on 
earth  and  I  will  hold  good  my  promise.  De- 
scend to  the  lowest  depths  of  the  commoner, 
be  a  farmer,  a  hod-carrier,  and  T  will  be  true 
to  you,  but— but  that  other,  never  Marcus, 
never!» 

He  saw  that  it  was  useless.  His  hope  was 
gone;  and  yet  he  loved  her,  loved  her  more 
than  ever.  They  had  both  arisen  and  now 
they  stood  facing  each  other. 

Then  a  power  seemed  to  come  to  him,  a 
power  not  of  human  origin.  He  took  her 
hands  again  and  she  made  no  resistance.  He 
looked  steadily  into  her  eyes,  and  as  he 
gazed  they  softened.  Tears  slowly  filled 
them,  and  the  whole  marble  form  relaxed. 
He  clasped  her  in  his  arms  and  he  was  hardly 
conscious  of  what  he  said: 

((Darling,  darling,  you  are  mine,  my  very 
own,  for  time  and  for  eternity.  None  but  I 
can  own  you.  Remember  that,  Alice,  remem- 
ber it.  You  are  mine!)) 

He  kissed  her  again  and  again,  then  gently 
laying  her  on  the  sofa  he  passed  from  the  room. 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  35 

The  Rev.  Marcus  King's  congregation  was 
the  largest  in  the  town  of  Hungerton.  Lately 
it  had  been  unusually  large,  owing,  as  some 
said,  to  his  peculiar  preaching;  so  that  Sab- 
bath when  he  meant  to  resign  his  position, 
Marcus  found  many  people  in  attendance. 

It  was  a  beautiful  day,  and  quite  cool. 
The  church  and  its  surroundings  looked  their 
best.  The  people  smiled  and  greeted  each 
other,  and  were  happy.  Marcus  came  in  ex- 
actly at  the  time  to  begin.  The  usual  forms 
of  song  and  prayer  were  completed  and  Marcus 
stepped  up  to  the  pulpit.  The  congregation 
were  as  still  as  death  when  they  saw  their 
pastor  pale  and  seemingly  aged  in  a  week. 
He  had  no  Bible,  no  manuscript,  only  a  slip 
of  paper  before  him.  His  voice  was  low  and 
full  of  emotion,  as  he  began  to  speak: 

«My  friends,  for  twenty  years  did  my 
father  occupy  this  place,  and  expounded,  with 
the  light  that  God  gave  him,  the  Scriptures 
of  His  word.  Ihave  filled  the  position  now 
nearly  a  year,  and  I  hope  I  shall  not  be  rec- 
reant to  any  trust  by  the  action  I  shall  *  take 
before  you  this  day.  Now,  in  the  presence 


36  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

of  you,  my  friends,  I  informally  resign  my 
position  as  your  spiritual  guide  and  advisor. 
Later  in  the  day  I  shall  formally  hand  my 
resignation  to  the  elders  of  the  church.)) 

A  hum  of  surprise  swept  through  the  con- 
gregation. A  load  seemed  lifted  from  the 
shoulders  of  Marcus  King.  Color  came  back 
into  his  face  and  he  spoke  again  with  a  clear, 
ringing  voice: 

«My  friends,  you  are  surprised,  of  course, 
and  I  hope  you  will  pardon  me  for  not  spar- 
ing you  this  ordeal.  I  wish  to  explain  to 
you  why  I  have  taken  this  step,  why  I  have 
thought  it  necessary  to  divest  myself  of  the 
ministerial  office,  and  I  hope  you  my  friends 
will  bear  with  me  in  my  short  explanations. 
I  will  offend  some  of  you;  but  that  I  cannot 
help.  I  have  a  position  to  defend,  I  have  ar- 
guments to  give,  but  I  can  not  go  into  detail 
at  this  time.  If  any  of  you  desire  further 
talk  with  me  on  any  point  I  advance  today,  I 
shall  be  pleased  to  meet  you  at  any  time. 

((First,  then,  I  have  come  to  this  conclu- 
sion, that  there  has  been  and  is  today  a  uni- 
versal apostasy  from  the  pure  Gospel  of 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  37 

Christ.  This  falling  away  reaches  to  all  sects 
and  denominations  of  the  Christian  religion, 
our  own  being  no  exception. 

«This  conclusion  has  been  arrived  at  by 
carefully    considering  the  following   facts: 
The  Scriptures  plainly  predict  such  a  falling 
away.    Even  as  early  as  Christ's  time  (The 
kingdom  of  heaven  suffered   violence,    and 
the  violet  took  it  by  force.)    The  early  per- 
secutors of  the  church  killed  the  Apostles 
and  Prophets,  and  none  were   appointed  in 
their  place.      The  pagans   of    Greece  and 
Rome  ingrafted  their  rites  and  doctrines  into 
the  pure  vine.    This  actual  change  in  the 
simple  ordinances  of  the  Gospel  to  conform  to 
pagan  ceremonies  can  be  traced  historically. 
Shortly  after,  the  world  was  in  spiritual  dark- 
ness for  over  eight  hundred  years.     As  the 
Church  of  England  puts  it,  (Laity  and  clergy, 
learned  and  unlearned,  all  ages  and  sects  and 
degrees   have  been  drowned  in  abominable 
idolatry.)      The  reformation  of  Luther  and 
Calvin  did  not  bring  back  the  pure  Gospel  of 
Jesus.     None  of  the  reformers  claimed  any 
authority  from  heaven  to  this  effect.     They 


38  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

simply  broke  the  power  of  Rome.  The  fruits 
of  all  churches  today  are  not  what  they  were 
in  primitive  times.  Faith  apparently  has  lost 
its  power  to  save. 

«So  much  for  a  general  statement.  Now  I 
wish  to  justify  myself  by  pointing  out  what 
I  consider  errors  in  our  own  confession  of 
faith.  I  shall  take  them  in  their  order  as 
they  come  in  this  book,))  and  he  reached  out 
and  opened  a  small  volume. 

«Regarding  the  Scripture,  this  book  says: 
<The  whole  council  of  God  concerning  all 
things  necessary  for  His  own  glory,  man's 
salvation,  faith  and  life,  is  either  expressly 
set  down  in  Scripture,  or  by  good  and  neces- 
sary consequence  may  be  deducted  from  it; 
unto  which  nothing  is  at  any  time  to  be  added 
whether  by  new  revelation  of  the  Spirit  or 
traditions  of  men.)  This  statement  virtually 
closes  the  mouth  of  God.  What  is  man  that 
he  should  dictate  to  the  Almighty? 

«I  can  no  longer  believe  that  God  is  a  be- 
ing without  body,  parts  or  passions,  as  this 
confession  teaches,  neither  that  the  Godhead 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  39 

is  (three  persons  of  one  substance,)  because 
that  is  a  contradiction  of  terms- 

«The  passage  on  predestination  is  familiar 
to  you  all.  I  shall  not  read  it.  I  believe 
the  doctrine  to  be  false  in  the  sense  here 
stated.  I  have  come  to  see  that  it  is  an 
awful  thing  to  say  that  some  men  are  fore- 
ordained to  hell,  and  that  they  can  not  help 
themselves.  I  do  not  believe  that  God  takes 
pleasure  in  electing  some  to  everlasting  pun- 
ishment; I  do  not  think  such  an  act  would 
manifest  any  of  His  glory.  The  doctrine 
annihilates  the  agency  of  man,  and  destroys 
the  sublime  right  of  choice.  My  friends,  if 
you  wish  to  see  a  practical  working  of  this 
teaching,  go  visit  our  dear  friend  Henry  San- 
ford,  in  Hungerton  jail. 

«I  cannot  believe  that  God  made  the  earth 
from  nothing.  Truth  is  reason,  and  reason 
teaches  me  different.)) 

«I  do  not  now  believe  in  the  total  depravity 
of  the  human  race.  We  are  the  children  of 
God.  The  offspring  of  an  all-good  parent 
cannot  be  wholly  inclined  to  evil,  as  this  creed 
teaches. 


40  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

«I  have  ceased  to  believe  in  this  book's 
teachings  of  the  calling  and  election  of  men 
and  especially  of  infants.  Believing  as  I  do, 
that  men  have  the  freedom  to  choose  good 
or  evil,  it  naturally  follows  that  I  must  be- 
lieve that  man  can  fall  from  grace. 

«This  confession  declares  that  baptism  is 
not  necessary  to  salvation;  still  it  claims  that 
this  sacrament  is  the  door  into  the  church. 
This  is  inconsistent. 

«I  shall  read  the  passage  about  synods  and 
councils:  (All  synods  and  councils  since  the 
Apostles'  time,  *  *  *  may  have  erred; 
therefore  they  are  not  to  be  made  the  rule 
of  faith  and  practice.)  I  understand  Scrip- 
ture to  be  made  when  holy  men  speak  or 
write  under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
We  must  come  to  one  of  two  conclusions  re- 
garding synods  and  councils — either  the  men 
who  composed  them  were  not  in  possession  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  or  else  this  Divine  Comforter 
has  lost  its  power.  I  cannot  believe  the 
latter. 

«I  do  not  believe  in  the  literal  hell-fire  here 
spoken  of. 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  41 

«0ur  system  of  religion  makes  no  provis- 
ions for  the  salvation  of  the  heathen.  I  think 
it  lacks  in  that. 

«0ur  church  has  not  the  organization  of 
the  first  church,  with  Prophets,  Apostles,  etc. 

«0ur  church  bars  simple  men  from  preach- 
ing the  Gospel.  Christ  chose  His  ministers 
from  the  poor  and  unlearned;  and  at  last,  to 
put  an  end  to  this  painful  array,  neither  I, 
nor  my  fellow-ministers  have  been  called 
of  God  as  was  Aaron,  therefore  I  have  no 
authority  to  preach  the  Gospel  and  to  admin- 
ister in  its  saving  ordinances.)) 

At  this  point  some  members  of  the  con- 
gregation passed  out. 

«My  friends  I  hope  you  will  bear  with  me 
a  few  minutes  longer.  By  what  I  have  said 
you  may  now  think  I  have  become  a  rank  in- 
fidel. That  is  not  so.  I  believe  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, in  the  power  of  God  to  save,  stronger 
than  ever.  And  now,  if  I  have  taken  away 
from  any  of  you  the  staff  which  has  supported 
you,  I  wish  to  give  you  a  stronger,  a  better 
one.  I  do  not  believe  that  a  man  should  tear 


42  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

down  another's  house,  unless  he  has  a  better 
one  into  which  to  invite  him. 

«My  dear  friends,  I  have  found  that  which 
the  merchant  in  the  parable  sold  all  he  had 
to  purchase,  I  am  also  selling  'all  I  own  to 
secure  this  prize.  I  wish  to  tell  you  of  it, 
that  as  many  of  you  as  desire  may  also  sell 
and  buy. 

«I  bear  my  testimony  that  God  lives;  that* 
He  has  again  spoken  from  the  heavens,  and 
restored  the  Gospel  in  its  purity;  that  the 
authority  to  administer  in  the  things  of  God 
has  again  been  given  to  men  in  the  flesh. 
That  Gospel  is  now  being  preached.  Its  first 
principles  are  now,  as  formerly,  faith  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  repentance,  baptism  by 
immersion  for  the  remission  of  sins,  laying 
on  of  hands  for  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  true  Church  of  Christ  has  been  again 
organized,  with  Apostles,  Prophets  and  all 
the  gifts  and  blessings  which  existed  in  the 
Church  during  Christ's  and  the  Apostles' 
time.» 

A  man  arose  in  the  congregation  and  asked 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  43 

the  privilege  of  putting  a  question  to  the 
pastor,  which  was  granted. 

((This  church  you  have  been  talking  about, 
Mr.  King,  is  it  the  Mormon  Church?  Is  it 
the  Mormons  you  have  reference  to  as  re- 
ceiving this  new  revelation?)) 

«Let  me  explain  that,))  began  the  preacher, 
but  the  questioner  cut  him  short  with: 

«Can  you  not  answer  me,  yes  or  no?)) 

«Yes;  I  have  reference  to  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  commonly 
known  as  Mormons.)) 

«I  have  had  enough,))  said  the  man,  with  a 
wave  of  his  hand  to  the  congregation,  half 
of  whom  followed  his  example  and  left  the 
church.  Marcus  said  not  a  word,  but  stood 
in  the  pulpit  until  the  last  one  who  had  any 
desire  to  leave  had  done  so.  Then  he  con- 
tinued: 

(d  expected  nothing  else.  Had  you  stoned 
me  in  this  pulpit,  I  should  not  have  been  sur- 
prised. We  are  steeped  in  prejudice  against 
that  about  which  evil  is  spoken,  but  know 
nothing.  We  are  not  willing  to  prove  all 
things  and  hold  fast  to  that  which  is  good,  as 


44  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

Paul  advised.  The  word  Mormon,  my  friends, 
has  about  the  same  sound  to  our  ears  as  the 
word  Nazarene  had  to  the  Jews.  But  I  wish 
to  tell  you  again  before  I  close  that  Mormon- 
ism  is  the  truth.  It  will  fill  that  void  in  your 
breast;  it  will  answer  your  questions  regard- 
ing life  and  death:  it  will  give  you  clear  con- 
ceptions of  God;  it  will  clear  up  many  mys- 
teries in  the  Scriptures;  it  will  satisfy  your 
soul;  it  will  fill  you  with  joy  unspeakable.  I 
can  say  no  more.  Investigate  for  yourselves ; 
seek  the  Lord  on  the  matter.  God  bless  you 
all.  Amen.— We  shall  sing  the  doxology.» 

A  very  few  sang.  Marcus  uttered  a  short 
prayer  and  the  services  were  over.  Not  one 
stopped  to  shake  hands  with  the  minister. 
One  or  two  lingered  as  if  they  would  like  to 
say  something,  but  they,  too,  walked  slowly 
away.  Marcus  gathered  a  few  books  and 
walked  out.  The  deacon  said  nothing  to  him, 
but  solemnly  locked  the  doors.  Marcus  picked 
a  flower  from  a  heart-shaped  bed,  softly  closed 
the  iron  gate,  and  went  home. 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  45 


CHAPTER  III. 


HITS  it  came  about  that  Marcus  King 
got  rid  of  his  titles  of  learning  and 
supposed  divinity  and  became  plain 
Marcus  King,  Mormon,  and  to  tell  the  truth 
he  was  heartily  glad  to  cast  off  the  burden 
he  had  been  carrying  these  many  months. 
He  felt  as  might  the  fabled  Atlas,  when  he 
rolled  the  world  from  his  own  shoulders  on 
to  those  of  Hercules.  He  was  now  at  least 
in  his  true  position  before  God  and  the 
world,  and  even  if  he  stood  alone,  as  he  had 
every  reason  to  believe,  still  it  was  infinitely 
better  than  to  continue  to  play  the  hypocrite. 
He  might  have  kept  his  position,  continued 
to  «teach  for  doctrine  the  commandments  of 
men»  and  kept  the  good-will  and  respect  of 
his  friends,  even  though  he  did  not  believe 
in  what  he  preached;  but  that  he  could  not 
do.  Others  might  have  done  it,  many  do  it, 
but  he  could  not. 


46  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

Neither  Alice  nor  his  mother  had  been  at 
church  to  hear  his  last  sermon.  His  action 
had  been  a  terrible  blow  to  both  of  them. 
All  the  night  following  his  mother  had  paced 
her  room,  and  the  efforts  of  Marcus  to  pacify 
her  acted  only  as  fuel  to  the  flame  of  anger 
and  mortification.  Early  next  morning  she 
came  into  the  library  where  Marcus  had 
spent  the  night.  She  was  partially  com- 
posed, but  it  was  with  great  effort  that  she 
spoke. 

«I  thought  that  I  had  a  son  that  would  be 
an  honor  to  his  dead  father,))  she  began; 
«but  I  now  understand  different.  Why  have 
you  brought  ignominy  on  your  parents,  both 
the  living  and  the  dead?)) 

((Mother,  as  I  have  said  before,  I  have 
done  nothing  shameful — it  is  no  disgrace  to 
do  one's  duty  as  God  gives  one  the  light.  I 
know  father,  and  I  think  that  he  would  have 
done  the  same.» 

«And  what  will  you  do  now?» 

«I  don't  know,  mother.)) 

«I  suppose  you  will  go  to  Utah?)) 

((Most  likely,  though  that  is  not  definite.)) 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  47 

«And  how  are  you  going  ?» 

«Well,  mother,  if  I  go,  it  will  have  to  be 
like  the  rest  of  the  emigrants,  across  the 
Plains  in  a  wagon  or  cart.» 

«Yes,  that's  it.  If  you  are  not  killed  by 
Indians,  or  the  hardships  of  the  journey,  you 
will  have  to  live  a' life  of  degradation  among 
the  Mormons.  And  here  I  shall  be  alone. 
0,  Marcus,  don't  go!  You  will  kill  me,  you 
will  kill  me!» 

She  broke  down  and  sobbed,  and  he  paced 
back  and  forth  by  her. 

((Mother,  do  not  try  to  persuade  me  to 
turn  back  now.  I  cannot  do  it;  and  I  can 
tell  you  that  some  day  you  will  see  the  need 
of  this  step.  You  may  not  see  it  now;  but 
then  you  will  bless  me  for  it.» 

To  this  scene  was  added  many  like  it  be- 
tween mother  and  son,  until  both  saw  that 
no  good  came  from  them. 

Monday  the  wonderful  scene  in  the  church 
of  the  Rev.  Marcus  King  was  the  talk  of  the 
whole  town.  It  was  so  unexpected,  so  new, 
and  so  awful  that  a  minister  of  the  Gospel 
should  from  the  pulpit  say  such  things 


48 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 


against  the  church,  and  then  come  out  in 
favor  of  Mormonism!    Nothing  in  the  town's 
history  had  ever  made  such  a  stir.     Groups 
of    men  stood   on  the  street  corners  and 
talked  about  it.    The  women  went  to  their 
neighbors  to  tell  and  hear.     The  clerk  for- 
got his  customer  in  his  eagerness  to  listen  to 
the  story.     The  carpenter  sat  on  his  bench, 
the  blacksmith's  fire  went  out,  the  baker's 
bread  was  burned,   the  seamstress'  needle 
was  stuck  in  the  dress:    Hungerton  was  all 
agog. 

Marcus  did  not  venture  out  that  ddy,  but 
towards  evening  he  walked  down  to  the  river, 
and  followed  a  street  leading  down  the 
stream. 

The  few  people  who  recognized  him  in  the 
twilight,  stared  at  him  blankly.  On  the  out- 
skirts of  the  town  Marcus  met  Elder  James, 
and  together  they  walked  along  the  country 
road.  They  had  much  to  talk  about. 
^  «I  congratulate  you,  Mr.  King,»  said  the 
Elder.  «I  heard  your  sermon  yesterday.)) 

«What!  were  you  there?)) 

«Yes;  I  sat  in  the  farther  corner  most  of 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  49 

the  time  and  then  got  away  without  much 
notice.)) 

«I  think  you  had  better  remain  quiet  for  a 
time.  The  people  are  terribly  worked  up, 
and  they  lay  the  blame  on  you,  you  know.)) 

«I  think  I  shall  leave  town  tomorrow,  for  a 
few  days,  at  least.  We  have  a  meeting 
this  evening,  a  private  one,  just  a  few  Saints 
and  friends  whom  we  can  trust.  Will  you 
come?» 

He  would  like  nothing  better;  so  after 
walking  down  the  road  some  distance  they 
retraced  their  steps  and  entered  a  small 
dwelling.  A  few  had  already  gathered. 
Some  were  strange  to  Marcus,  while  three 
were  members  of  his  former  congregation. 
They  were  somewhat  surprised  to  see  him, 
but  he  followed  Elder  James'  example  and 
pressed  them  all  by  the  hand.  They  all 
chatted  freely  together  but  in  a  subdued  tone, 
as  word  had  been  brought  that  a  mob  would 
surely  break  up  any  meeting  the  Mormons 
might  hold.  Marcus  saw  that  most  of  those 
present  were  of  the  poorer  working  class. 
He  could  not  help  but  contrast  his  own  posi- 


50  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

tion  that  evening  with  the  one  he  had  held 
but  yesterday. 

The  meeting  was  a  very  informal  affair. 
Singing  was  dispensed  with,  butjthere  was  an 
opening  prayer.  Then  Elder  James  talked 
for  a  few  moments,  and  he  was  followed  by 
some  members  of  the  congregation,  who  bore 
their  testimonies  to  what  they  had  experi- 
enced. One  young  woman,  Eliza  Dixon  by 
name,  stated  that  she  had  been  to  the  church 
the  day  before  and  had  heard  Mr.  King.  She 
had  always  believed  what  he  said  about  the 
generally  accepted  Christian  doctrine,  and 
when  he  told  of  new  revelation  and  the  res- 
toration of  the  Gospel,  she  was  glad  because 
that's  what  she  had  been  looking  for.  Even 
that  morning  she  had  sought  out  a  friend 
whom  she  knew  was  acquainted  with  the 
Mormon  missionary.  She  had  been  directed 
to  Elder  James  and  they  had  had  a  long  talk. 
She  was  ready  for  baptism,  she  said. 

One  or  two  others  followed  in  the  same 
strain,  and  the  Elder  asked  Marcus  if  he 
desired  to  speak.  At  first  he  said  no,  but 
afterwards  arose  and  expressed  his  pleasure 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  51 

in  the  meeting.  It  reminded  him,  he  said,  of 
what  he  had  read  of  the  primitive  Christians 
when  they  met  in  secret  places  for  fear  of 
their  persecutors.  He  had  found  the  truth, 
and  he  thanked  God  for  it.  If  his  words 
yesterday  had  caused  one  soul  to  come  to  the 
same  knowledge,  he  had  been  amply  repaid 
for  the  effort. 

After  the  meeting  a  little  band  of  men  and 
women,  with  bundles  of  clothes  in  their  hands, 
went  silently  down  to  the  river.  There  in 
the  shadow  of  the  trees,  Elder  James  took 
them,  one  at  a  time,  down  in  the  water  and 
baptized  them. 

A  few  days  after  Marcus  was  visited  by  a 
delegation  of  ministers.  They  came  to  labor 
with  him  and  show  him  the  error  of  his  ways; 
kindly  at  first,  but  when  he  met  their  argu- 
ments boldly,  they  changed  their  manner  to 
one  of  ridicule.  They  rehearsed  to  him  the 
usual  tales  about  Joseph  Smith  and  the  atro- 
cious Mormons,  at  all  of  which  Marcus  only 
smiled.  The  conference  ended  in  nothing. 

Weeks  passed.  Marcus  learned  that  Alice 
Merton  had  gone  to  visit  friends  in  another 


52  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

state,  to  be  absent  all  summer,  so  he  heard 
no  more  of  her.  He  came  to  no  better  un- 
derstanding with  his  mother,  and  she  had 
now  no  great  objection  to  his  leaving.  Marcus 
and  Elder  James  often  counseled  together. 
They  both  saw  that  it  was  useless  for  Marcus 
to  stay  where  he  was  any  longer.  His  influence 
was  gone.  He  was  now  an  outcast  so  far  as 
Hungerton  society  was  concerned.  Marcus 
also  got  the  spirit  of  gathering.  He  knew 
that  his  future  lay  with  the  Latter-day  Saints. 
From  one  standpoint  his  upward  career  in  the 
world  had  suddenly  ceased,  and  he  had  been 
precipitated  to  the  bottom.  He  must  begin 
life  anew,  and  begin  again  at  the  botton. 
The  sooner  he  began  the  better;  so  it  was 
goodbye  to  Hungerton,  and  all  its  familiar 
scenes.  There  was  an  attraction  westward, 
to  the  new  Zion  arising  from  out  the  great 
American  desert,  and  Marcus  made  all  prep- 
aration for  the  journey. 

On  the  train  which  bore  him  westward 
Marcus  met  an  old  college  acquaintance,  who 
was  going  on  a  vacation  trip  to  his  old  home 
in  Missouri  before  he  settled  down  to  his  work. 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  53 

«You  see,»  explained  his  friend,  «I  had  a 
pretty  fair  position  where  I  have  been,  but 
there  wasn't  enough  salary  in  it.  A  person 
can't  live  on  fifteen  hundred  a  year  and  keep 
up  appearances,  you  know.  So  I  got  a  call 
from  an  adjoining  church  with  a  salary  of 
two  thousand  dollars,  and  of  course  I  ac- 
cepted. I'm  going  to  arrange  for  my  house 
and  you  must  come  and  see  me  when  I  get 
settled.)) 

«I  fear  I  shall  not  be  able — you  haven't 
heard — no;  of  course  you  haven't;  but  I'm  no 
minister  now;  Fve  given  it  up.  I  have  re- 
signed.)) 

«Why,  what's  the  matter,  Mark?» 

«Well,  you  know  we  used  to  have  great 
times  discussing  theology  at  school.  You 
also  know  that  we  didn't  believe  half  that 
was  taught  us.  Still  you  and  I  and  hundreds 
of  others  said  nothing  about  our  honest 
opinions,  but  sold  our  consciences  for  a  sal- 
ary. Some  got  a  thousand,  some  fifteen 
hundred  and  some  more.  I've  quit  it.» 

His  friend  looked  surprised,  and  hardly 
knew  what  to  say. 


54  MARCUS  KING,  MORMON. 

«You're  startled  of  course,  and  shocked; 
but  I'm  not  sorry;  what  I  have  lost  in  worldly 
things  I  have  gained  in  heavenly.  You  don't 
understand  that,  of  course  not.»  Whereupon 
Marcus  told  him  the  whole  history  of  the 
past  three  months. 

His  reverend  friend  leaned  back  in  the  car 
seat  and  said  nothing.  He  seemed  shocked 
beyond  utterance.  Marcus  went  on  explain- 
ing to  him  the  principles  of  Mormonism,  and 
he  was  not  interrupted.  Only  once  did  he 
say  quietly: 

«Friend  Marcus,  all  that  which  you  have 
been  saying  about  the  (principles  of  the 
Gospel)  is  all  right  enough  in  its  place,  but 
you  know  that  we  have  placed  too  much  em- 
phasis on  creeds  and  dogmas.  A  true  and 
living  faith  in  Christ,  a  love  of  Christ,  is  after 
all  the  only  essential.  You  surely  could 
have  taught  that  and  kept  your  position?)) 

«Yes,  I  know  that  theologians  are  drifting 
into  the  belief  that  articles  of  faith,  creeds 
and  doctrinal  principles  have  nothig  to  do 
with  Christ  and  the  church;  but  I  differ. 
Creeds  are  necessary,  foundation  principles 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  55 

are  necessary.  Christ  taught  them — prin- 
ciples are  the  forerunners  of  practice.  The 
trouble  is  that  when  creeds  and  doctrines  are 
wrong  it  is  manifest  by  the  fruits  they  bear. 
Teach  people  correct  principles  and  their 
lives  will  be  all  right,  said  Joseph  Smith;  and 
the  doctrine  is  sound.» 

«And  so  you're  going  to  Utah?»  asked  his 
friend  after  a  pause. 

«Fm  going  to  try.» 

«Well,  Marcus,  I  can  only  hope  that  you'll 
get  out  of  this  alive.  I  don't  know  much 
about  the  Mormons,  but  father  does.  He 
helped  to  rid  Missouri  of  them.  My  dear 
friend,  I  pity  you.» 

«Spare  your  tears,  old  boy.  You  may 
need  them  in  your  next  sermon,  especially  if 
your  speak  of  the  damnation  of  the  heathen, 
or  the  final  state  of  the  unregenerated.» 

That  ended  the  talk.  Marcus  soon  changed 
cars  and  his  friend  went  on  his  own  way. 

Marcus'  destination  was  away  out  on  the 
prairies  of  the  west,  where  he  would  meet 
Elder  James  and  prepare  for  the  trip  across 
the  Plains  to  Salt  Lake  City. 


56  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

It  was  the  latter  part  of  July  when  he 
reached  Iowa  City,  which  was  then  the  west- 
ern terminus  of  the  railroad  and  fittingout 
point.  Of  all  the  strange  scense  which  he 
had  witnessed  thus  far,  that  at  Iowa  City 
was  the  most  interesting  and  wonderful. 
Here  for  the  first  time  he  met  a  large  num- 
ber of  his  co-religionists.  At  first  he  experi- 
enced a  shock  to  his  feelings  at  sight  of  their 
personal  appearance,  but  when  he  under- 
stood that  they  had  traveled  long  distances, 
from  various  quarters  of  the  earth,  his  good 
sense  told  him  that  they  could  not  have  the 
appearance  of  stay-at-home  Christians  in  the 
town  of  Hungerton,  for  instance.  When  he 
arrived,  there  were  at  least  six  hundred 
Mormons,  most  of  whom  were  from  Great 
Britain,  and  expected  to  get  to  the  Great 
Salt  Lake  Valley  that  fall.  How  were  they 
to  do  it?  They  seemed  to  be  extremely 
poor.  There  were  very  few  horses,  mules,  or 
even  oxen,  and  less  wagons. 

As  they  took  a  walk  out  among  the  camp, 
Elder  James  said:  «Here  you  see  an  answer 
to  your  question.  See  what  these  men  are 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  57 

busy  with!  These  two-wheeled  carts  are  to 
carry  their  clothing  and  provisions.)) 

«And  who  are  to  pull  the  carts?))  asked 
Marcus. 

((They  themselves,  the  men,  perhaps  the 
women,)) 

((How  far  is  it  to  the  Valley?)) 

((Thirteen  hundred  miles.)) 

((And  I  understand  there  are  burning 
deserts  and  rough  mountains  to  cross?)) 

((0,  yes,  more  than  one.)) 

((And  they  will  have  to  walk  every  step  of 
the  way?)) 

((Yes;  most  of  them.  Hundreds  have  done 
it,  and  no  doubt  these  will  also  do  it.  You 
see,  they  must  get  to  the  Valley.  They 
can't  stay  here.  This  company  will  start  in  a 
few  days.  It  will  be  rather  late,  but  they 
will  be  able  to  make  it,  if  they  have  moderate 
luck.)) 

((But  Brother  James,  I  can't  see  how  they 
can  do  it.  It  will  be  awful — the  women  and 
children!)) 

((You've  read  of  the  Pilgrims  and  the  May- 
flower *!» 


58  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

«Yes;  but  great  heavens,  that  was  nothing 
to  compare  with  this!» 

Marcus  was  soon  made  acquainted  with  the 
leaders  of  the  people,  whom  he  found  to 
be  intelligent  men  of  Elder  James'  type.  By 
their  advice  he  bought  a  yoke  of  oxen,  a 
wagon,  provisions,  and  other  necessary  arti- 
cles. Elder  James  helped  him.  He  gave 
the  young  man  some  practical  lessons  in 
yoking  and  controlling  his  oxen.  It  was  all 
exetremely  new  and  strange,  but  Marcus 
went  to  work  in  earnest,  and  soon  mastered 
the  art  of  swinging  his  buckskin  whip  with  a 
«gee»  or  a  «haw.»  Elder  James  was  not  going 
west;  but  he  arranged  with  a  family  to  do  the 
cooking  for  Marcus,  that  he  might  be  freed 
from  that  responsibility. 

A  few  days  after  his  arrival  at  Iowa  City, 
the  hand-cart  company  was  ready  to  be  off. 
That  morning  there  was  a  scene,  a  scene  in 
which  mingled  the  ludicrous  and  pitiable. 
The  six  hundred  men,  women  and  children 
on  the  move  westward.  Each  family,  or 
group  of  four  or  five,  had  a  cart  in  which 
were  loaded  their  provisions  and  clothing. 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  59 

The  carts  were  simple  affairs:  two  wheels, with 
light  frames  over  the  axles  and  short  shafts. 
At  the  end  of  the  shafts  were  cross-bars  which 
projected  out  on  each  side.  Here  the  «human 
horses»  attached  themseves  and  started  off. 
There  were  a  few  wagons  along,  drawn  by 
oxen.  These  carried  provisions  and  some 
of  the  heavy  baggage. 

Marcus  went  up  to  a  cart  that  had  stopped. 
They  were  adjusting  the  load  and  there  was 
some  discussion  as  to  the  best  position  of  the 
pullers.  This  cart  was  owned  by  a  poor  English 
family,  and  was  not  a  very  substantial  one. 
The  axles  were  of  wood  and  the  boxes  of 
leather.  The  father  got  in  the  shafts,  to  be 
the  main  propelling  power,  his  wife  took  her 
place  by  his  side,  and  grasped  the  cross-bar, 
and  a  fifteen  year  old  son  went  on  the  other 
side.  A  grown  daughter  had  arranged  a  kind 
of  harness  of  leather  straps  which  she  fas- 
tened over  her  shoulders,  and  to  the  end  of 
the  shafts.  Thus  away  they  went,  while  a 
little  three  year  old  boy  sat  on  top  of  the 
load,  shouting  in  great  glee. 

Marcus  walked  with  them  some  distance. 


60  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

The  whole  scene  had  a  strangeness  about  it. 
Everybody  seemed  happy  enough.  They 
laughed,  and  shouted  to  each  other,  and  made 
their  jokes  at  each  other's  expense;  but 
Marcus  could  not  help  thinking  of  the  thir- 
teen hundred  miles  before  them. 

((Come,  brother,  where's  your  cart?»  some 
one  greeted  Marcus;  and  he  turned  to  see  the 
broad  smile  of  an  English  girl,  who  was  pul- 
ling very  little  on  a  cart.  Two  young  fellows 
were  doing  the  work.  «Hi'm  the  driver,  ye 
know,»  she  laughed.  «What  do  you  think  of 
my  Bosses?)) 

((They'll  do,))  replied  Marcus,  «I  think  they 
will  take  you  through.)) 

But  all  did  not  take  the  matter  so  pleas- 
antly. A  number  were  discontented  and 
grumbled  Others  said  they  would  not  be 
able  to  make  it,  and  Marcus  looked  into  their 
sad  eyes  and  believed  them.  It  seemed  worse 
for  the  older  people  and  the  children.  Some 
of  the  latter  soon  got  tired  and  cried,  and 
then  the  father,  or  perchance  the  older 
brother,  would  lift  the  child  up  on  his 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  61 

shoulders  and  carry  the  extra  weight  as  he 
pulled  his  load. 

And  all  of  these  had  left  their  native  lands 
for  this!  Most  of  them  had  been  tossed 
about  for  long  weeks  on  the  ocean,  to  get 
this!  Many  had  left  comfortable  homes  to 
travel  footsore  and  weary  across  these  plains! 
Yes,  there  would  be  no  more  rest  for  many 
of  them  until  they  laid  their  weary  bodies  down 
under  the  sod  of  the  prairie!  And  it  had  all 
been  done  for  the  love  of  the  Gospel,  for  the 
love  of  the  light  which  had  made  him  also  an 
outcast  from  home  and  a  wanderer  among 
strange  peoples  and  lands. 

Marcus  turned  and  went  back.  When  he 
looked  around  again,  the  train  was  hidden  by 
a  rise  in  the  road,  and  only  the  thin  cloud  of 
dust  which  arose  above  it  showed  their  west- 
ward path. 


62  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON 


CHAPTER  IV. 


BOUT  a  week  after  the  departure  of 
the  hand-cart  company, Marcus  started 
westward  with  his  wagon  company. 
The  last  act  before  leaving  was  to  mail  a 
letter  to  his  mother.  The  season  was  late, 
but  the  company  was  small  and  they  could 
travel  rapidly.  Marcus  soon  learned  to  ac- 
commodate himself  to  his  surroundings.  He 
followed  the  example  of  the  other  teamsters 
and  walked  by  the  wagon  most  of  the  time, 
although  he  could  have  ridden.  Elder  James 
had  explained  to  the  captain  of  the  company 
Marcus  King's  former  position,  and  he  had 
made  it  as  easy  as  possible  for  the  ex- 
minister.  Had  Marcus  known  this  he  would 
have  resented  it.  He  felt  as  though  he 
wanted  to  work  with  the  rest.  He  was  no 
better  than  they,  even  though  his  whole  life 


MARCUS   KING,   MORMON.  63 

up  to  that  time  had  been  one  of  bodily  ease, 
and  his  training  unfit  for  the  life  of  a  pioneer. 
After  the  day's  journey  Marcus  was  of  ttimes 
extremely  tired;  and  when  the  tents  were 
pitched  and  the  fires  were  lighted,  (which 
was  only  when  they  had  plenty  of  wood  and 
there  was  no  danger  of  Indians,)  he  never 
had  strength  to  join  in  any  merriment.  At 
first,  the  dancing,  in  which  they  often  in- 
dulged, seemed  strange  to  Marcus.  Why 
should  religious  people  dance,  especially  when 
on  such  a  journey?  After  the  hard  day's 
toil,  out  would  come  a  violin,  a  space  on 
the  grass  would  be  cleared,  and  a  dozen 
couples  merrily  whirled  into  the  strains  of 
the  weird  music.  He  had  once  expressed 
his  doubt  as  to  its  propriety  to  a  brother 
teamster  who  had  crossed  the  Plains  a 
number  of  times,  and  he  had  explained  that 
it  was  a  good  thing  to  drive  away  «the  blues.» 
They  had  been  standing  looking  at  a  merry 
crowd,  and  at  that  moment  a  good-looking, 
roguish  maiden  had  stepped  up  to  them,  and 
said  that  she  was  looking  for  a  partner.  The 
teamster  had  instanly  taken  the  girl's  arm 


64  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

and  slipped  it  into  Marcus's,  and  before  he 
knew  what  he  was  doing,  he  was  whirling 
away  with  her  over  the  soft  grass.  The 
truth  was,  as  he  afterwards  learned,  that  the 
girl  had  taken  the  bold  step  that  she  might 
say  she  had  danced  with  a  very  sanctimoni- 
ous sectarian  minister.  After  that  she  was 
not  the  only  one  with  whom  he  stepped  to 
the  music's  time. 

But  they  did  not  always  dance  during  the 
evenings.  There  were  a  good  many  fine 
singers  in  the  company,  and  the  songs  of 
Zion  often  rang  out  over  the  still,  moon- 
lighted prairies.  They  always  rested  on 
Sunday  and  held  religious  services.  Marcus 
was  interested  in  the  strange  sermons  often 
delivered,  and  he  could  not  help  contrasting 
them  with  the  smoothly-flowing,  logically-ar- 
ranged discourses  which  he  and  his  fellow- 
ministers  had  been  trained  to  give.  There 
were  a  number  in  the  company  who  were  re- 
turning home  from  a  two  or  three  years'  mis- 
sion, and  the  experiences  which  they  related 
were  often  extremely  interesting.  Marcus 
was  asked  to  speak  a  number  of  times. 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  65 

Dressed  in  a  blue  ((jumper))  and  his  corduroy 
trousers  tucked  into  the  tops  of  his  long 
boots,  he  mounted  the  dry-goods  box  and  did 
the  best  he  could  under  his  changed  environ- 
ments. One  day  he  told  them  his  history 
and  how  he  came  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth. 
After  the  meeting,  an  elderly  lady  came  up 
to  him  with  tears  in  her  eyes. 

«Dear  brother,  God  bless  you!»  she  said. 
«I  left  a  boy  at  home,  a  boy  about  your 
age.  He  is  in  the  seminary  learning  to 
be  a  Methodist  preacher.  He  couldn't  see 
the  truth,  though  I  talked  with  him  about 
the  Gospel.)) 

She  clung  to  his  hands  and  looked  the 
young  man  in  the  face,  while  the  tears  slowly 
trickled  down  the  care-worn  furrows  in  her 
cheeks. 

«And  you  also  have  a  mother?))  she  asked. 

«Yes;  I  have  a  mother  at  home.))  She  still 
clung  to  his  hands;  and  a  big  lump  arose  in 
his  throat.  If  ever  he  had  seen  a  saintly 
face,  he  thought,  this  must  be  one  before 
him.  His  eyes  grew  dim;  he  could  not  see 
the  wagons,  or  cattle  or  tents;  the  rolling 


66  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

prairie  faded  as  a  dissolving  view  and  another 
picture  came  into  its  place,  a  wonderful,  ever- 
changing  picture.  In  it  was  his  mother,  and 
Alice,  fair  Alice,  with  a  sweet,  sad  smile;  the 
old  home  embedded  in  trees  and  flowers;  the 
cosy  study  with  walls  of  books;  the  church 
and  upturned  faces;  the  hills  covered  with 
forests;  the  river,  bending  in  broad  silvery 
bands  around  the  town  of  Hungerton;  and 
every  trifling  detail  mingled  and  mixed,  then 
stood  out  in  clear  distinctiveness  in  this  won- 
derful kaleidoscopic  picture. 

«Brother  King,  will  you  come  with  me  to 
my  tent?»  said  the  sister.  «I  do  want  to  talk 
with  you?)) 

«Yes;  come!» 

She  led  the  way  to  a  tent.  The  sun  was 
sinking  through  a  hazy  sky.  The  wild  odor 
of  the  Plains  pervaded  the  evening  air  The 
camp  lay  as  a  speck  of  life  on  that  vast  level 
surface,  even  as  a  lone  ship  in  mid-ocean. 
Before  some  of  the  tents  small  fires  blazed, 
and  there  were  the  usual  preparations  for 
the  evening  meal. 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  67 

«Janet,  Brother  King  has  come  to  eat 
supper  with  us.» 

The  girl  busy  at  the  fire  suddenly  straight- 
ened herself.  Her  mother's  greeting  startled 
her  and  she  looked  somewhat  confused. 

«I  invited  him  to  come  and  see  us,  and  of 
course  he'll  stay  to  supper.  I  want  to  have 
a  talk  with  him,  he  reminds  me  so  of  your 
brother  David.  Haven't  you  met  my  daughter 
before,  Brother  King?» 

«Not  to  speak  to  her,  I  think,))  said  Marcus. 

«rm  pleased  to  meet  you,  Brother  King,)) 
said  the  girl,  giving  him  a  warm  shake  of  the 
hand. 

«Can  you  find  a  seat?  We  left  our  chairs 
at  home,  you  know.  Here,  take  this  box — . 
let  me  put  this  quilt  on  it.» 

Marcus  looked,  nearly  stared,  at  the  girL 
She  wore  a  dress  of  light  calico,  which  be- 
came her  as  though  it  had  been  of  a  much 
finer  material,  fitting  perfectly  the  full, 
rounded  and  not  large  figure.  Her  face  was 
full  of  warm  color,  and  she  had  red  hair. 
The  novelist  would  have  called  it  auburn,  or 
golden,  or  some  such  evading  term,  but  in 


68  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

truth  it  was  plain  red;  and  it  was  just  the 
proper  color,  too.  Any  other  shade  would 
not  have  blended  so  naturally  and  beautifully 
with  that  clear,  rosy  skin.  The  girl's  faint, 
pleasant  smile,  and  easy,  graceful  manner  as 
she  moved  about  the  camp,  also  drew  the 
young  man's  attention. 

«Now  then,  dear  folks,))  said  Marcus,  per- 
ceiving that  they  were  making  some  extra 
effort  for  his  comfort,  ((do  not  put  yourselves 
to  any  inconvenience  on  my  account.  Though 
this  life  is  new  to  me,  if  I  mistake  not  it  is 
equally  foreign  to  you.)) 

((Yes,))  said  the  mother,  ((we  made  great 
sacrifices  to  get  to  Zion  this  year,  and  this 
mode  of  traveling  is  hard  on  old  people  like 
—but  mind,  I'm  not  complaining:  if  I  may 
but  lay  my  bones  with  the  people  of  God,  I 
shall  be  content.)) 

((Mother's  always  talking  of  laying  down 
her  bones,  Brother  King,  when  the  fact  is 
that  she's  strong  and  will  live  many  years 
yet.  She  stands  this  trip  nearly  as  well  as 
I  do.» 

The  meal  of  milk  and  bread  and  fried  bacon 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  69 

was  spread  out  on  a  cloth  in  the  tent,  and 
bundles  and  boxes  were  brought  upon  which 
to  sit.  Sister  Harmon,  (for  that  was  her 
name)  also  brought  out  a  tin  of  preserves. 

((Where  did  you  say  you  came  from, 
Brother  King?» 

Marcus  told  her. 

((Why,  Janet,  we've  lived  within  ten  miles 
of  Brother  King  all  our  lives.  We  came 
from  Newton,  ten  miles  from  Hungerton. 
You  know  the  place?)) 

((Yes,))  said  he;  «IVe  been  at  Newton  a 
number  of  times;  but  fm  not  acquainted 
much  there.)) 

((Well,  it's  interesting,  anyway,  isn't  it, 
Janet?)) 

((It's  quite  strange,))  answered  Janet.  ((Have 
another  piece  of  bread,  Brother  King.  Ashes 
got  in  my  bake  pan,  and  it's  not  very  nice 
looking,  but))— 

((Don't  offer  any  excuses,  sister;  I  think  I 
can  understand  all  your  difficulties  in  the 
way  of  cooking.)) 

((Well,  well,))  the  mother  continued  to  re- 
peat, ((and  so  you're  from  Hungerton.  Strange 


70  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

that  I  should  not  have  seen  you.  I've  been 
there  a  number  of  times.  Do  you  remember 
to  have  met  Brother  King,  Janet  ?» 

«No,  I  do  not  now  remember,  mother. 
Have  some  of  this  preserve.  This  came  all 
the  way  from  home.» 

And  so  they  talked  and  ate.  Sister  Har- 
mon told  of  her  son  David,  who  ridiculed 
Mormonism;  what  a  time  they  had  had  with 
him,  and  how  wild  he  had  been  when  he  learned 
that  they  were  going  to  Utah.  Janet  said 
but  little,  and  Marcus  tried  as  best  he  could 
to  cheer  them.  He  found  that  he  was  not 
alone  in  trials.  No  doubt  these  two  women 
had  passed  through  tribulation  for  the  truth. 
Perhaps  every  soul  in  that  camp  had  made  a 
sacrifice,  many  of  them  greater  than  his  own. 
His  visit  that  evening  helped  Marcus  to  be 
more  contented  with  his  lot.  He  was  not 
such  a  hero,  after  all. 

Westward,  westward  the  emigrant  train 
moved,  rolling  in  long  procession  across  the 
prairie,  slowly  climbing  the  hills  and  coming 
down  the  inclines  with  rattle  and  confusion. 
Every  night  the  wagons  were  placed  in  a 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  71 

circle  forming  a  corral  or  enclosure,  into 
which  the  cattle  were  driven,  next  morning 
to  be  yoked.  The  daily  routine  of  the  same 
things,  day  after  day,  week  after  week,  began 
to  be  irksome  to  Marcus  King.  At  the  end 
of  a  month  it  seemed  to  him  that  they  might 
have  passed  half  way  around  the  globe. 

Still  westward  they  moved.  The  season 
was  getting  late  and  they  would  have  to 
hurry.  The  nights  began  to  be  cold,  and  a 
number  of  the  last  streams  had  a  coating  of 
ice.  Marcus  was  sunburnt,  and  roughened, 
and  shaggy  enough  for  any  frontiersman. 
He  might  have  walked  through  the  streets 
of  Hungerton  without  being  recognized. 

He  was  always  free  and  friendly  with 
every  member  of  that  company;  but  still 
there  are  always  preferences.  He  seemed 
to  find  the  best  companionship  in  Sister 
Harmon  and  her  daughter.  He  soon  learned 
,  that  they  were  of  a  class  $kin  to  the  one  to 
which  he  had  belonged.  Their  modes  of  liv- 
ing, their  thoughts  and  tastes,  had  been  like 
his  own.  They  were  intelligent.  Janet  had 
been  to  the  best  schools.  Marcus  had  no 


72  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

doubt  that  the  now  calloused  hands  could 
better  bring  sweet  sounds  from  ivory  keys. 
This  preference  was  natural  enough.  Mar- 
cus had  not  become  a  «Mormon»  in  a  day.  It 
takes  time  to  make  radical  changes  in 
thought  and  action,  and  Marcus  could  not  be 
blamed  for  of ttimes  passing  the  wilder,  more 
boisterous  group  to  have  a  quiet  chat  with 
Janet  and  her  mother. 

One  morning  Janet  came  to  where  Marcus 
was  walking  beside  his  wagon.  Her  mother 
was  not  well  enough  to  walk,  and  it  had 
been  so  lonesome. 

«rm  glad  you  came  over,»  Marcus  said, 
when  she  tried  to  give  some  excuse  for 
coming.  «Fm  glad  you  came,  Janet.  Walk 
along  with  me  a  while  and  we'll  have  a  talk.» 

There  had  been  a  brisk  shower  the  night 
before,  and  the  road  did  not  give  out  its 
usual  cloud  of  dust.  The  air  was  cool,  and 
it  was  a  pleasure  to  begin  the  day's  journey. 
Janet  took  off  her  large  straw  hat,  that  the 
cool  breeze  might  better  blow  into  her 
warm  face. 

«Janet,  I  think  you  might  have  let  your 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  73 

mother  finish  that  story  the  other  evening.)) 

Janet  got  the  whip  and  proceeded  to  give 
it  a  number  of  fire-cracker  pops;  but  she 
did  not  answer  Marcus. 

«It  promised  to  be  a  regular  romance.  I 
always  did  admire  a  good  story,  and  I 
haven't  read  one  for  so  long  that  I  fairly 
hunger  for  one.  You  tell  me  it,  Janet.)) 

It  was  nothing,  indeed  it  wasn't.  Mama 
colored  it  so.  I  was  nearly  out  of  patience 
with  her.)) 

« Which  was  wrong?)) 

«0f  course  it  was;  and  I  am  sorry  for  it. 
Did  you  see  the  handcart  company  start 
from  Iowa  City?)) 

Marcus  smiled  at  her  turning  of  the 
subject. 

«Yes;  and  the  captain  said  yesterday  that 
it  is  not  far  ahead.)) 

«Fve  wondered  all  along  why  we  do  not 
overtake  them.)) 

((Brother  Brown  said  that  a  handcart  com- 
pany of  strong  young  people  can  beat  any 
ox-train  across  the  Plains;  but  I  understand 
this  company  just  in  front  has  many  old 


74  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

people,  and  they  are  having  a  hard  time.» 

Then  he  told  her  of  the  start  he  witnessed 
at  Iowa  City.  «It  would  have  been  ex- 
tremely funny  had  it  not  been  for  the  sad- 
ness of  the  scene.  Your  mother  was  just 
saying,  the  other  evening  when  you  inter- 
rupted her,  that — » 

((Brother  King,  how  is  it  that  we  haven't 
seen  any  Indians?  Our  friends  at  home  said  we 
would  be  scalped  sure,  but  I  told  them  that 
no  Indian  would  dare  to  touch  my  hair — he'd 
burn  his  fingers  if  he  did.» 

(d  hadn't  heard  that  red-skins  were  afraid 
of — of,  that  is — » 

((Of  red  hair?  How  stupid  you  are! 
What's  the  use  of  being  so  delicate  about 
telling  the  truth.  It's  red,  and  I  know  it, 
and  you  know  it.  I'm  not  one  of  those  people 
who  do  not  like  to  be  told  their  hair  is  red.» 

((Well,  for  my  part,  I  think  you  are  sensi- 
ble in  that;  beside,  some  people  look  better 
with  red  hair.  I  don't  think  the  Creator 
made  any  mistake.  I  believe  this  subject 
had  a  bearing  on  the  story  your  mother  was 
telling.» 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  75 

«It  hadn't;  not  a  bit.» 

«Well,  how  did  it  happen,  then — » 

«I  must  go  to  mother.  She  may  need 
me.» 

«No;  she  doesn't.  See,  she's  sitting  up  in 
the  wagon,  and  talking  to  the  driver.  I'll 
warrant  she's  telling  him  the  rest  of  that 
story.» 

«0,  Brother  King,  you're  an  awful  man!)) 

Then  they  both  laughed  and  walked  on  in 
silence. 

«Shall  I  tell  you  that  story  ?»  she  asked. 

«Yes;  do.» 

«Well,  once  upon  a  time — » 

«Now,  don't  compose  as  you  go  along.)) 

((Don't  interrupt  me,  or  I  will  lose  the 
thread  of  the  narrative.)) 

((Excuse  me.)) 

«0nce  upon  a  time  a  young  man  and  a 
young  woman  with  red  hair  were  engaged  to 
be  married.  The  young  woman  became  a 
Mormon  and  then  the  young  man  wouldn't 
have  her.)) 

((Well?)) 

((That's  all.)) 


76  MARCUS  KING,  MORMON. 

((That's  pretty  short.)) 

«Yes;  the  engagement  was  pretty  short.» 

«You  don't  seem  to  be  sorry  over  it.» 

<(Fm  not  a  bit  sorry.  I'm  glad  it  turned  out 
as  it  has.» 

((Won't  you  get  on  my  wagon  and  ride? 
You  must  be  tired.)) 

«0,  no;  I'm  not.  I  want  to  hear  your 
story  now.» 

«My  story?)) 

«Yes,  your  story;  now  don't  deny  that  you 
have  one.» 

«No,  Janet,  I'll  not  deny  it.  I  have  one  and 
I'll  tell  it  to  you.» 

Their  laughter  had  ceased. 

((It's  very  strange — our  two  stories.  Janet, 
if  I  hadn't  become  a  'Momon'  I  would  now 
have  been  a  married  man,  and  had  for  a  wife 
the  sweetest  and  best  girl  in  Hungerton.» 

«It  must  have  been  hard  for  you.  You 
cared,  I  can  see  that.)) 

((Cared!  I  wish  I  hadn't.  I  wish  I  didn't 
now  care;  but  I  don't  know  that  I  should 
say  that,  it  may  be  wrong.  Yes,  Janet, 
Alice  is  a  good  girl,  but  of  course  she  doesn't 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  77 

understand.  I  would  gladly  have  left  all  the 
rest  if  only  Alice  had  come  with  me.» 

Marcus  had  become  so  earnest  that  Janet 
could  say  nothing.  At  this  point  the  train 
came  in  sight  of  an  immense  herd  of  buffa- 
loes. They  had  been  to  the  river  for  water 
and  were  now  heading  for  their  feed  grounds 
again.  The  great  moving  mass  seemed  to 
be  coming  directly  upon  the  long  train. 
Apparently  the  train  of  wagons  was  directly 
in  the  path  of  the  herd.  As  the  animals 
came  nearer,  the  captain  of  the  train  came  rid- 
ing on  a  mule  and  shouted  orders  to  the  driv" 
ers.  The  front  wagons  were  hurried  forward 
as  fast  as  possible  while  the  captain  rode  by 
Marcus,  and  the  very  next  wagon  behind 
him  was  ordered  to  turn  about  as  quickly  as 
possible.  This  movement  made  a  large  gap 
in  the  train,  for  which  the  leaders  of  the 
herd  now  made.  The  earth  fairly  shook  as 
on  they  came. 

Janet  stood  still  for  an  instant,  then  with 
a  cry  turned  to  run  back  across  the  gap. 

((Mother,  0,  mother's  back  there !»  she  said. 

Marcus  caught  her  and  forcibly  held  her. 


78  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON 

«Your  mother's  all  right,»  he  said.  «The 
buffaloes  will  tramp  you  under  foot.  Come, 
get  back  here.» 

The  foremost  animals  were  now  in  the 
opening  and  the  herd  pressed  closely  behind. 
Through  they  swept,  with  great  shaggy 
heads,  wild  eyes,  and  dilated  nostrils.  The 
drivers  stood  guard  over  the  nearest  cattle, 
to  prevent  any  stampede.  As  the  last  strag- 
glers went  galloping  by,  pop,  pop,  went  the 
rifles  and  a  buffalo  dropped  not  twenty  yards 
from  where  Marcus  was  standing  and  Janet 
clinging  to  his  arms. 

(Couldn't  let  that  chance  go  by  without 
getting  some  fresh  meat,))  said  the  hunter, 
one  of  the  teamsters. 

Janet  was  pale,  and  trembled  violently. 
As  soon  as  the  wagons  drove  up  again,  she 
hastened  to  her  mother,  and  there  she  had 
a  good  cry. 

That  evening  the  whole  company  had  fresh 
buffalo  steak  for  supper.  Marcus  came 
to  Sister  Harmon's  tent,  as  he  said,  to  see 
what  practical  value  Janet's  course  in  the 
cooking  school  had  been;  but  that  evening, 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  79 

after  the  company  had  gathered  for  prayers, 
and  thanks  had  been  given  to  God  for  His 
watch  care  that  day,  Marcus  touched  Janet's 
arm  and  said: 

((Those  things  we  were  talking  about  to- 
day— let  it  be  only  between  you  and  me.» 

«Yes;  of  course, »  she  answered. 

((Then  good  night.» 

((Goodnight.)) 


CHAPTER    V. 


HE  company  lay  at  camp  in  the  hills 
of  Wyoming.  All  that  day  the 
weather  had  been  cold,  and  now  a 
sharp  wind  was  blowing  from  the  north. 
The  sky  was  full  of  clouds,  and  there  were 
all  indications  of  a  storm,  and  a  snow  storm 
at  that.  What  if  winter  should  burst  upon 
them  now  while  they  were  yet  a  month's 
travel  from  the  valley? 


80  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

Marcus  King  began  to  realize  what  it 
meant  to  be  a  Mormon  in  that  day.  Their 
company  had  been  well  supplied  and  were 
not  as  yet  suffering,  but  there  was  no  telling 
what  the  future  would  bring.  The  hand-cart 
company  was  just  ahead.  The  newly-made 
graves  which  the  wagon  company  passed,  in- 
dicated the  condition  of  affairs  with  the  peo- 
ple in  front.  Marcus  thought  of  that  start 
in  Iowa.  What  they  must  have  suffered! 
What  they  must  yet  suffer  to  reach  their 
destination! 

That  evening  Marcus  took  his  gun  and 
walked  out  over  some  low  hills  skirting  the 
road.  It  was  a  wild  evening.  The  clouds 
hurried  across  the  shining  moon.  He  had 
heard  the  cry  of  a  wolf  and  Marcus  made 
his  way  towards  it.  He  could  see  the  crea- 
ture sitting  on  a  rocky  knoll,  and  his  un- 
earthly howl  added  to  the  night's  dismalness. 
Presently  another  cry  come  upon  the  wind. 
The  wolf  saw  Marcus  and  trotted  slowly  off. 
The  strange  sound  come  again — surely  the 
cry  of  a  human.  Marcus  instantly  thought 
of  Indians,  and  turned  towards  camp,  when, 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  81 

from  out  of  a  ravine  into  which  the  wolf  had 
been  looking,  came  the  distinct  cry  of  a  child. 
Marcus  paused  and  peered  down  into  the 
shadows.  He  thought  he  discerned  some- 
thing under  a  bank,  but  it  might  be  an  In- 
dian camp  or  perhaps  a  party  of  hostile  sav- 
ages. He  was  foolish  for  wandering  so  far 
from  camp. 

The  wind  came  up  in  great  sweeps  from 
the  ravine,  carrying  with  it  that  human  cry. 
Marcus  was  in  doubt.  Perhaps  some  belated 
emigrant  was  perishing.  The  night  was 
coming  on.  No  one  could  live  through  it  un- 
protected. That  cry  was  of  a  child.  Marcus 
went  cautiously  forward  down  the  ravine. 
Presently  the  moon  cast  a  hurried  stream  of 
light  and  the  outlines  of  a  cart  were  plainly 
seen.  Marcus  quickened  his  steps  and  from 
under  the  bank  came  the  faint  cry  of  «Mama, 
Mama!» 

«Halloo!))  said  Marcus. 

There  was  no  answer,  but  the  child  ceased 
its  crying. 

He  leaped  down  the  bank,  and  as  he  did 
so,  a  woman  started  to  her  feet.  She  had  a 


82  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

child  in  her  arms.  In  the  shelter  of  the  bank 
sat  a  man.  His  knees  were  drawn  up  and 
his  head  rested  upon  them.  The  cart  lay 
overturned  under  the  bank. 

«Who  are  you?  What  is  the  matter?)) 
asked  Marcus,  hurriedly. 

The  woman  seemed  to  be  half  asleep.  The 
man  did  not  stir.  Marcus  saw  that  some- 
thing must  be  done.  He  went  up  to  the 
woman  and  shook  her  violently. 

Come,  you're  freezing  to  death  here. 
Come,  wake  up  and  move.  Our  camp's  not  f ar.» 

She  at  last  realized  her  position  and  with 
a  glad  cry  began  to  talk  to  the  child.  She 
shook  the  man  by  the  shoulders: 

«Get  up,  John,))  she  said.  ((Someone's 
come  to  help  us.  Camp's  not  far  off.  Come, 
John,  0,  John,  get  up.  We're  saved,  John 
— 0,  please  sir,  I'm  afraid  he's  gone.  Help 
me  get  him  up!  He's  freezing  to  death,— 
0,  John,  here's  help!» 

The  child  wailed  piteously,  and  the  mother 
tried  to  soothe  it  by  pressing  it  closely  to  her 
breast.  Marcus  pulled  off  his  coat  and 
wrapped  it  around  the  child.  Then  he  took 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  83 

hold  of  the  man  and,  by  the  woman's  help, 
they  got  him  back  to  consciousness. 

Another  chance  for  life  nerved  the  woman 
to  strength.  She  helped  Marcus  right  the 
cart,  and  then  worked  diligently  with  her 
husband,  who,  when  he  at  last  realized  where 
he  was,  took  hold  of  the  cart  and  walked  be- 
hind, as  the  woman  and  Marcus  pulled  it 
towards  camp. 

The  woman  explained  in  a  few  broken  sen- 
tences that  they  had  somehow  become  sep- 
arated from  the  company,  and  having  left 
the  road,  the  cart  had  fallen  over  the  bank. 
They  had  tried  to  lift  it  up  again,  but  they 
were  both  so  weak  that  they  could  not.  Thus 
they  had  waited  for  help,  and  had  sat  down 
to  rest,  which  would  have  been  their  last 
had  not  Marcus  come  to  their  assistance. 

When  within  hailing  distance  of  the  campr 
Marcus  shouted,  and  a  guard  came  out  who 
helped  them  in  camp.  Marcus  took  them  to 
his  tent  and  then  sent  for  Janet  to  come  and 
help  take  care  of  them.  By  the  light  of  the 
tent  lantern,  Marcus  saw  that  the  woman's 
face  was  familiar  to  him,  but  he  could  not 


84  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

place  her.  After  they  had  been  made  as 
comfortable  as  possible  he  asked  her: 

«Where  have  I  seen  you  before?)) 

«At  Hungerton.  My  name  is  Eliza  Dixon, 
and  you  are  Marcus  King.)) 

Such  was  the  case.  That  last  sermon  of 
his  in  the  Hungerton  church  had  moved  this 
woman  to  investigate  and  embrace  the  Gos- 
pel. She  had  told  her  husband  and  he  had 
believed;  and  here  they  were  perishing  in  the 
wilderness.  Marcus  King  was  not  ashamed 
of  the  tears  that  filled  his  eyes. 

Next  morning  Marcus  went  to  the  cap- 
tain's tent  and  said  to  him: 

((Those  people  I  brought  to  camp  last  night 
—well,  it  will  be  impossible  for  them  to  go 
on  with  their  hand-cart.  The  man  can  hardly 
walk  and  the  woman  is  not  much  better;  and 
then  the  child — » 

((Well,  Brother  King,  what  shall  wre  do?» 

«If  you  have  no  objection,  they  can  take 
my  outfit,  and  I  will  take  their  cart  and  go 
on  with  the  hand-cart  company.)) 

The  captain  tenderly  placed  his  hand  on 
the  speaker's  shoulder  and  said: 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  85 

«Do  you  know  what  a  sacrifice  that  would 
mean  to  you?» 

«I  think  so,  at  least,  partly;  but  I  cannot 
do  otherwise.)) 

«Then  all  right,  and  may  the  Lord  be  with 
you.» 

When  Marcus  told  his  rescued  friends  of 
his  purpose,  at  first  they  cried  for  joy;  but 
then,  when  they  understood  its  full  meaning, 
they  tried  to  prevail  on  him  not  to  do  so.  It 
would  be  too  great  a  sacrifice.  But  Marcus 
was  firm  in  his  purpose. 

Early  that  same  day  the  wagon  company 
overtook  the  hand-carts,  and  as  the  wagons 
went  on  Marcus  stopped  with  John  Dixon's 
hand-cart  in  charge.  Janet  and  her  mother 
looked  mutely  at  him,  but  could  say  nothing; 
and  as  he  took  their  hands  to  say  goodby, 
the  captain  came  up.  Placing  one  hand  on 
Janet's  shoulder  and  another  on  Marcus',  he 
said: 

«Brother  King,  by  this  shall  all  men  know 
that  you  are  a  disciple  of  Christ— you  have 
the  true  sign,  the  true  love  of  Christ,  God 
bless  you.»  ***** 


86  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

No  mortal  pen  can  fully  describe  that 
journey  from  the  bleak  hills  of  Wyoming  to 
the  valley  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake;  and  the 
pen  that  writes  these  words  shall  not  at- 
tempt it. 

Winter  came  on  in  all  its  fury,  and  through 
the  snow  and  sleet  the  poor  half-frozen,  half- 
starved  travelers  dragged  their  carts  along. 
Every  day  some  one  gave  up  the  struggle, 
and  was  laid  under  the  frozen  sod  by  the  way- 
side and  there  left.  Husbands  left  wives, 
wives  left  husbands,  parents  left  children, 
and  children  left  parents — and  the  broken 
remnant  still  struggled  westward.  They 
climbed  the  hills,  they  waded  the  freezing 
streams.  The  piercing  wind  blew  through 
their  thread-bare  clothing.  They  starved, 
they  froze,  they  died.  God  only  knows  why! 
Draw  the  curtain  on  the  scene!  It  is  unbear- 
able! 

Marcus  King  reached  the  lowest  possible 
stage  of  human  misery  and  suffering;  but  he 
had  one  thought  which  kept  him  up  through 
it  all.  It  was  the  thought  of  Christ  in  the 
garden  and  on  the  cross.  He  suffered  for 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.       .  87 

others,  and  He  was  God's  Son.  Marcus,  in  a 
way,  was  following  in  his  Master's  footsteps. 
«Take  up  thy  cross  and  follow  me,»  rang  in 
his  ears,  and  through  all  that  desperate 
struggle  for  existence  it  was  the  only  anchor 
to  his  soul.  And  yet  through  all  that  terri- 
ble misery,  there  was  a  peace  in  his  breast. 
It  came  from  whence  Marcus  was  in  no  state 
to  reason  out;  but  afterwards  he  knew;  the 
performing  of  a  sublime  duty  carries  with  it 
a  peace  of  soul  which  surpasseth  understand- 
ing. 

****** 

A  beautiful  spring  morning  crept  over  the 
rugged  Wasatch  Mountains  and  into  the  val- 
ley of  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  as  Marcus  King 
walked  slowly  up  the  path  winding  along  the 
sage-brush  plains.  His  face  was  pale,  his 
features  pinched,  and  his  steps  were  those  of 
a  sick  man.  When  he  reached  the  bank  of 
the  small  stream  he  sat  down  on  it,  bared  his 
head  and  sat  looking  out  over  the  valley 
towards  the  distant  mountains. 

Every  morning  for  a  week  he  had  taken 
this  walk,  and  it  had  done  him  much  good. 


88  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON 

His  strength  was  coming  back  to  him,  and 
with  his  strength  came  renewed  hopes  and 
new  aspirations. 

Marcus  had  certainly  been  near  death's 
door.  For  two  months  during  the  past  win- 
ter he  had  been  hovering  between  this  world 
and  the  next,  and  one  more  experience  had 
been  added  to  him,  namely  the  power  of  the 
Priesthood.  Time  and  again  the  Elders  of 
the  Church  had  anointed  him  with  oil  and 
prayed  for  him,  and  instantly  he  had  felt  that 
once  more  he  had  been  snatched  from  the 
hands  of  the  destroyer.  It  had  surely  and 
literally  been  a  battle  between  life  and  death 
with  him;  but  now  he  had  the  victory  and  he 
was  on  the  way  to  a  speedy  restoration  to 
his  usual  health. 

Then  when  spring  came  at  last  and  he 
could  get  out  of  doors,  the  strangeness  of 
the  country  came  more  forcibly  to  him.  The 
grand,  rugged,  treeless  mountains;  the  wild, 
bare  bench  lands,  and  the  marshes  near  the 
lake.  In  his  walk  that  spring  morning  he 
counted  the  little,  low,  log  huts  of  the  set- 
tlement and  found  the  total  to  be  seventeen; 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  89 

and  none  of  them  was  older  than  five  years. 
They  stood  on  both  sides  of  a  broad,  straight 
street,  along  both  sides  of  which  rows  of 
trees  had  already  that  spring  been  planted. 
As  yet,  little  of  the  surrounding  land  had 
been  cleared  of  the  gray  sagebrush.  The 
small  garden  plats  by  the  side  of  the  cabins 
were  just  sprouting  out  into  long,  green  rows. 
Marcus  went  back  home  quite  tired  that 
morning.  He  sat  down  on  a  bench  on  the 
south  of  the  house  under  a  roof  of  freshly 
cut  willows  and  cottonwoods.  Eliza  Dix- 
on  was  busy  getting  breakfast.  Marcus  had 
his  home  with  John  and  Eliza;  and  they  had 
done  for  him  all  that  loving  hearts  could  de- 
vise and  willing  hands  could  carry  out.  The 
poverty  of  that  winter  and  spring  is  well 
known  in  history  and  these  people  suffered 
with  the  rest. 

«Fm  going  to  help  you  plant  potatoes  this 
afternoon,  John,»  said  Marcus  to  his  friend 
that  morning. 

«Are  you  strong  enough?)) 
((Plenty;  besides   I  must  learn   to  be   a 
farmer.     You  folks  don't  pay  me  anything 


90  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

for  all  those  sermons  I  preach  you  and  so  I 
must  make  my  living  at  something  else.» 
He  still  tried  to  be  pleasant  and  make  his 
jokes. 

«Well,  if  you  want  to  begin,))  said  John, 
«F11  give  you  something  easy.))  From  the 
house  he  brought  a  sack  of  potatoes,  placed 
them  on  the  bench  by  Marcus7  side  and  pro- 
ceeded to  give  him  a  lesson  on  how  to  cut 
them  into  proper  sizes. 

«But  these  are  small  enough  as  they  are, 
it  seems  to  me,»  said  Marcus. 

«Yes;  but  we  must  make  them  reach  as 
far  as  possible.  Now,  you'll  have  to  be  care- 
ful. Have  no  more  than  two  eyes  to  each 
piece,  and  take  care  not  to  cut  an  eye  so 
that  it  will  be  spoiled.)) 

Just  as  Marcus  had  become  thoroughly  in- 
terested in  his  work,  Janet  Harmon  came 
around  the  corner  of  the  house.  She  carried 
something  in  her  hands,  covered  by  an  apron. 
The  meeting  was  unexpected,  it  seemed,  as 
Janet  stopped  and  the  color  come  into  her 
face.  Janet  had  also  changed.  The  western 
elements  had  played  sad  havoc  with  her  clear, 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  91 

beautiful  skin.  The  round  face  was  peaked, 
and  the  large  eyes  seemed  sunken.  Her  hair 
hung  in  two  long  braids  down  her  back. 

«Good  morning,  Janet.  I  thought  you 
went  to  the  city.» 

«Yes;  but  Fve  come  back;  and  I  thought 
you  went — you  take  a  walk  every  morning 
about  this  time.» 

«Yes;  but  Fve  also  come  back,  you  see.» 
They  laughed. 

«Are  you  peeling  potatoes  for  dinner?))  she 
asked.  «Where  do  you  get  such  luxuries?)) 

«0,  these  are  not  to  cook,  but  to  plant.  I 
was  just  thinking,  Janet,  if  I  had  all  the 
potato  peelings  that  our  cook  at  Hungerton 
used  to  provide  for  her  pig,  what  a  big  field 
of  potatoes  I  could  plant.  I  wonder  if  peel- 
ings would  grow,  anyway?)) 

Janet  stepped  in  at  the  open  door,  placed 
what  was  under  the  apron  on  the  table,  and 
then,  as  Eliza  was  not  in,  she  went  back  to 
Marcus. 

«Sit  down,))  he  said,  «and  tell  me  all  the 
news.)) 

She  handed  him  two  letters,  both  from 


92  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

his  mother,  and  he  read  them  aloud  to  her. 
They  were  not  very  cheering  letters.  The 
mother  still  considered  herself  disgraced  by 
her  son's  action.  Still  she  felt  sure  that 
everybody  would  forgive  him  even  yet  if  he 
was  alive  and  could  get  back.  Alice  had 
been  to  see  her,  and  had  stayed  with  her 
much  of  the  time  during  the  winter.  Alice 
was  a  great  comfort  to  her.  She  never 
mentioned  his  name,  but  still  through  all  the 
trying  ordeal  the  girl  loved  her  wayward 
son. 

«Poor  mother,  and  poor  Alice,»  and  that 
was  about  all  he  could  say. 

The  potatoes  were  neglected  for  a  few 
moments.  Then  he  turned  to  the  girl  at  his 
side  and  said: 

«Janet,  you  should  have  seen  Alice.  You 
ought  to  be  acquainted  with  her.  I  know 
you  would  like  her,  you  couldn't  help  it,  no 
more  than  I  can  help  loving  her  yet.  She's 
the  sweetest  and  best — but  there,  I've  told 
you  that  so  often  before.)) 

Janet  rose  hurriedly. 

((I'm  glad  to  see  you  so   well,   Brother 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  93 

King,  and  I  hope  you'll  recover  entirely 
soon.  Goodby.» 

In  a  moment  she  was  away,  and  Marcus 
soon  went  to  work  again.  When  Eliza  called 
him  to  breakfast,  he  sat  down  as  usual  on 
his  own  raw-hide  chair,  and  when  he  raised 
his  head  after  the  blessing  he  caught  sight 
of  the  extra  bowl  by  the  side  of  his  plate. 

«Hello,  what's  this?))  he  exclaimed  as  he 
peered  into  it.  ((Pudding,  rice  pudding!  Can 
I  believe  my  eyes?» 

«If  you  doubt  them,  try  your  palate,))  said 
Eliza. 

((But  where  did  you  get  your  rice?  And  I 
verily  believe  there  are  raisins  in  it.» 

((Janet  brought  it,»  said  she. 

«Ah,  I  see.  This  is  what  she  had  under 
her  apron.  Janet's  a  good  soul,  isn't  she?» 

«I  think  Janet's  a  good  girl.» 

((Well,  I'm  going  to  taste  this,))  said  Marcus. 

«0h,  it's  yours.» 

«Not  all  of  it.     I'm  not  quite  that  greedy.)) 

«But  Janet  brought  it  for  you.)) 

«You  don't  know  that.  You  were  out. 
Here,  each  must  have  a  taste ;»  and  amid 


94  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON 

protestations,  Marcus  divided  the  tasty  mor- 
sel between  them. 

That  afternoon  Marcus  planted  in  the 
plowed  furrow  the  potatoes  he  had  cut. 
He  was  very  careful  to  place  them  with  the 
eye  side  up  and  exactly  eighteen  inches 
apart.  While  John  plowed  them  under,  Mar- 
cus rested.  The  cut  potatoes  brought  his 
thoughts  back  to  the  potato  peelings,  and 
they  in  a  long  string  led  him  to  Hungerton 
and  into  the  kitchen  of  the  parsonage.  From 
the  cook  to  his  mother,  and  from  his  mother 
to  Alice  was  a  natural  channel  of  thought; 
but  how  his  mind  leaped  from  Alice  Merton 
to  rice  puddings  can  never  be  explained  by 
any  known  law  of  psychology.  From  rice  pud- 
ding to  Janet  Harmon  was  an  easy  stage, 
coming  so  closely  on  the  scenes  of  the 
morning. 

Marcus  sat  on  the  upturned  bucket  used 
in  carrying  potatoes,  and  thought  about 
these  things.  He  knew  now  that  Janet 
thought  well  of  him.  What  was  the  use  of 
trying  to  hide  the  fact.  He  now  remembered 
many  little  scenes  which  were  unmistakable, 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  95 

ever  since  he  had  met  her  in  their  camp  on  the 
Plains;  but  strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  plain 
truth  was  that  he  had  not  thought  of  Janet  as  a 
prospective  wife.  She  who  had  all  the  time 
held  that  position  was  back  in  Hungerton.  She 
still  held  it  without  a  rival.  His  love  for 
Alice  was  as  strong  as  ever,  and  during  all 
his  strange  experiences  of  the  recent  past, 
she  had  been  the  sole  queen  of  his  heart. 
He  had  not  reasoned  much  on  the  matter,  or 
he  might  have  seen  the  utter  foolishness  of 
retaining  any  hope  of  Alice;  but  once  or 
twice  that  little  scene  in  his  study,  that  last 
one  with  her,  came  to  him  and  he  heard 
himself  say: 

«You  are  mine,  mine!» 

It  takes  time  for  a  man  to  change  the 
training  of  a  life.  It  is  a  slow  process  to 
direct  the  channels  of  thought  into  entirely 
new  regions.  But  Marcus  began  to  think 
very  kindly  of  his  sister  in  the  cause:  can  a 
young  man  be  entirely  unmoved  when  he 
finds  that  a  good,  fair,  young  woman  cares 
much  for  him? 


96  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

«A11  right,  Marcus,  we're  through,))  shouted 
John.  «Let's  go  to  the  house.)) 

Marcus  nearly  fell  off  the  bucket.  While 
he  had  been  soliloquizing,  John  had  planted 
and  plowed,  until  it  was  finished,  and  had 
said  never  a  word  to  the  man  on  the  bucket. 


CHAPTER    V. 


OMETIMES  as  early  as  July  the  Wa- 
satch  Mountains  are  clothed  in  an 
Indian  summer  cloud,  thin  and  blue, 
making  an  idyl-land  of  the  deep  ravines,  the 
towering  crags,  the  pine-clad  recesses,  and 
the  bold  promontories.  Such  was  that  after- 
noon when  Marcus  leading  little  Ida  Dixon 
by  the  hand  walked  up  the  hillside  to  get  a 
better  view.  From  the  bold,  rugged  out- 
lines of  the  near  mountains  his  eye  followed 
their  trend  northward  to  where  they  seemed 
to  sink  lower  and  lower,  and  the  gray  veiling 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  97 

became  thicker,  until  at  last  the  blue  sky  and 
the  smoke-covered  earth  blended. 

Little  Ida  ran  hither  and  thither  hunting 
for  the  few  wild  flowers  which  sometimes  were 
found  in  the  shaded  protection  of  the  sages; 
but  his  eyes  were  on  the  mountains.  Never 
before  had  nature  so  entered  his  soul  or  com- 
muned so  plainly  with  him.  The  cabins  of 
the  settlement  were  hidden  behind  a  hill,  so 
that  whichever  way  he  looked  not  a  sign  of 
human  habitation  or  human  workmanship 
could  be  seen.  He  was  utterly  alone,  save 
the  little  child  that  toddled  beside  him. 

Marcus  was  now  well,  and  quite  strong. 
The  face  was  no  longer  pale,  but  browned  by 
the  sharp  wind  and  sun.  He  certainly  had 
changed  much  since  he  had  left  Hungerton; 
and  that  difference  was  as  marked  as  the 
difference  between  the  gentle,  grass-covered 
hills  of  his  native  state  and  the  element-beaten 
mountains  before  him. 

From  out  some  lonely  recess  of  the  hills 
came  the  mournful  notes  of  the  wild  pigeon. 
Who,  being  alone  in  the  hills,  and  hearing 
those  indescribably  penetrating  cadences 


98  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

echoing  from  some  unseen  source,  has  not 
sat  down  on  the  ground,  and  felt  as  though 
le  could  stay  there  forever!  And  if,  per- 
chance the  emotions  within  swelled  and  over- 
flowed in  tears,  those  tears  were  not  of  joy, 
neither  of  sorrow,  but  of  some  strange  fasci- 
nating emotion  that  stirred  the  soul  to  its 
depths! 

Little  Ida  also  sat  on  the  ground,  but  she 
had  no  deeper  concern  than  to  arrange  her 
flowers.  They  both  sat  on  the  hillside  and 
the  creek  of  clear  water  tumbled  over 
its  rocky  bed  in  the  ravine  below.  Pres- 
ently a  cow  came  down  the  path  along 
the  stream,  and  following  came  Janet  Har- 
mon. She  carried  her  sunbonnet  in  her 
hand  regardless  of  the  hot  sun.  Her  dress 
was  of  many  times  washed  and  patched  calico, 
her  shoes  were  ragged. 

Marcus  shouted  to  her  from  the  hillside 
and  she  paused  and  looked  up. 

«Wait  a  moment,  Janet,  I  want  to  talk  to 
you,»  he  said. 

«I  must  take  the  cow  home.)) 

((You're  not  in  a  great  hurry,  are  you?» 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  99 

«No— but— »  and  the  girl  looked  down  at 
her  shoes  and  dress.  Marcus  saw  the  act. 

«Then  let  the  cow  feed  on  that  grass  by 
the  creek.  I  want  to  talk  to  somebody.)) 

«You  have  Ida.» 

Come,  here's  a  green  bank.  Ida  is  busy 
with  her  flowers — Janet,  don't  be  uneasy  about 
how  you  look  in  your  costume.  We  under- 
stand each  other.  We  understand  our  con- 
ditions, and  we  know  that  we  are  the  same 
beings  whether  we  are  in  silks  and  broad- 
cloths or  in  rags.  What  difference  can  a 
piece  of  cloth  make  in  the  intrinsic  value  of 
a  man  or  a  woman?)) 

«You  are  right,))  she  said.  «I  am  foolish  to 
care  about  such  things,  but  habit  and  a  life 
training  are  not  easy  to  change.)) 

Willows  lined  the  bank  of  the  creek,  and 
they  sat  in  their  shade.  Ida  neglected  her 
flowers  and  began  weaving  a  necklace  of  wire- 
grass.  Janet  threw  off  her  sunbonnet  and 
Marcus  fanned  his  face  with  his  old  straw 
hat.  The  creek  splashed  musically  by  and  the 
cow  was  perfectly  satisfied. 

«What  did  you  want  to  say  to  me?))   Janet 


100  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

asked,  after  the  pause  had  been  long  enough. 
«0,  I  just  wanted  to  talk  to  someone.  To 
think  to  one's  self  doesn't  give  the  satisfac- 
tion that  talking  does.  These  wild  mountains, 
the  hazy  air,  and  all  that  seems  to  aifect  me 
today.  Janet,  this  is  wonderful,  isn't  it?» 

«What,  the  scenery?)) 

«No;  I  mean  our  life  here,  our  history  for 
the  past  year.  Think  of  it!  la  college  edu- 
cated man,  a  respected  minister  and  preacher, 
and  now  here!  You,  whose  life  seemed  to  be 
opening  up  so  gloriously,  to  be  surrounded  by 
wealth  and  culture,  ease  and  comfort,  and 
now  you  are  here  also,  living  in  a  log  house 
with  a  dirt  roof  and  a  mud  floor,  subsisting 
on  the  scantiest  and  coarsest  of  food,  and 
thinking  a  rice  pudding  altogether  too  good 
to  eat  yourself!)) 

Remember,  Janet's  hair  was  red;  her  cheeks 
were  of  the  same  color  now. 

«I  wonder  if  we  have  made  a  mistake, 
Janet.» 

She  looked  him  in  the  face  to  see  if  he 
meant  it.  «I  haven't,))  she  said. 

«No;  neither  of  us  has.    This  Gospel  of 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  101 

Christ  is  worth  it  all.  We  have  had  many 
testimonies,  and  I  can  see  more  clearly  every 
day  the  true  meaning  of  life.  Mormonism  is 
in  close  touch  with  nature.  We  Mormons  are 
pretty  well  nature's  children.)) 

«Yes,  until  we  can  get  some  factories 
started,))  said  Janet,  looking  at  a  great  rend 
in  her  shoe. 

«I  don't  mean  that  at  all,»  he  laughed.  «I 
mean  that  there  is  a  strikingly  close  relation- 
ship between  Mormonism  and  the  known  laws 
of  nature,  and  also  I  see  now  that  we  as  God's 
children  must  learn  a  great  many  lessons  in 
nature's  school.  In  this  school  God  is  the 
Master.  Whatever  God  provides  is  true  re- 
ligion, and  true  religion  is  Mormonism.)) 

«Fve  thought  of  the  same  things,))  said 
Janet,  as  she  reached  up  and  pulled  down  a  wil- 
low. «Who  would  ever  have  dreamed  two 
years  ago  that  I  should  spin  yarn,  knit 
stockings,  sew  carpet  rags,  wash,  bake, 
(though  I  haven't  done  much  baking  lately) 
scrub,  drive  cows,  milk,  churn,  and  delight  in 
buttermilk — but  now  that's  my  life  as  though 
I  had  been  born  and  raised  to  it.)) 

7 


102  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

The  cow  was  out  of  sight  now  and  Janet 
arose  to  look  for  it.  Ida  lay  asleep  on  the 
grass.  Marcus  lifted  her  in  his  arms  and 
they  went  down  the  road.  Soon  the  settle- 
ment came  into  view.  The  sun  was  low  in 
the  west.  A  covered  wagon  left  a  trail  of 
dust  through  the  street.  The  voices  of  play- 
ing children  came  to  them  through  the  still 
afternoon  air. 

((You  must  remember,))  said  he,  ((that  we 
are  pioneers.  Here,  if  any  place  on  the  globe, 
is  the  primeval  earth.  We  are  the  beginners. 
Everything  around  us  is  glaringly  new.  We 
find  no  ancient  marks  of  ancestry,  no  shrines 
made  sacred  by  centuries  of  human  experi- 
ences. Here  are  no  crumbling  walls  over- 
grown with  ivy.)) 

((Here  is  nothing  except  that  which  we 
make  with  our  own  hands.)) 

((You  put  it  exact.  If  we  want  grass,  we 
must  sow  it  and  then  water  it.  If  we  want 
a  tree,  we  must  plant  it.  If  we  want  a  house, 
we  must  build  it.  But,  Janet,  we  are  empire 
founders.  There  will  be  some  glory  in  that.)) 

((After  we  are  dead.)) 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  103 

«Yes;  certainly;  perhaps  it  will  be  a  long 
time  after  also;  but  ours  is  a  quick  age  and 
who  can  tell  even  what  one  hundred  years 
will  bring!)) 

They  turned  into  the  street.  The  cow  had 
already  found  the  corral. 

«Do  you  see  that  pile  of  logs?»  asked  Mar- 
cus, pointing  to  the  side  of  the  road.  «Well, 
that's  my  lot  and  I'm  going  to  start  on  a  house 
tomorrow.)) 

«A  good  location,))  said  she. 

A  horseman  came  galloping  toward  them. 
In  his  hurried  ride  he  passed  them  before  they 
recognized  that  it  was  a  young  man  of  the 
settlement.  He  reined  in  his  horse,  rode  back 
and  said: 

«Have  you  heard  the  news?)) 

((What  news,  Ted?)) 

«Why,  about  the  army.  The  President  of 
the  United  States  has  sent  an  army  to  Utah 
to  straighten  us  out.)) 

((Impossible — it  must  be  a  mistake.)) 

((No;  the  soldiers  are  on  the  road  already.)) 

«But  what  have  we  done?)) 

«Done?    Well,  ask  Dad.     He  was  in  Nau- 


104  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON 

voo,»  and  the  young  man  put  spurs  to  his 
horse  and  went  on  to  tell  the  news. 

«I  must  hurry  home  to  Mother,))  said  Janet 
nervously;  and  when  Marcus  set  little  Ida 
down  in  the  road  and  took  Janet's  hand  to 
say  goodnight  he  looked  into  her  timid  face. 

«Do  not  fear,  Janet;))  he  meant  to  speak 
some  reassuring  word  but  he  could  find 
nothing  better  than:  «I  shall  come  over  to- 
night. Take  care  of  Mother.)) 

The  man  whom  Marcus  had  engaged  to  help 
him  build  his  house  came  next  morning  with 
his  ax  and  saw. 

«I  did  not  expect  you,  Brother  Wood,))  said 
Marcus.  «We'll  have  no  need  for  houses  if 
an  army  is  coming  to  kill  us  off.)) 

Brother  Wood  was  a  frontiersman.  He  had 
been  through  most  of  the  experiences  of  the 
Church.  He  had  built  for  himself  two  houses 
in  Missouri,  one  in  Illinois,  and  a  number  at 
the  temporary  stopping  places  across  the 
Plains;  and  now  there  were  three  of  his  own 
building  in  the  settlement.  He  was  an  ex- 
pert at  constructing  log  houses,  and  he  wasn't 
going  to  be  stopped  in  his  work  because  some 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  105 

soldiers  were  reported  to  be  on  the  march  to 
Utah. 

«Never  you  fear,  Brother  King,))  said  he  as 
he  ran  his  fingers  through  his  gray  beard. 
«I've  seen  lots  of  soldiers  before,  and  I  don't 
count  much  on  these  no  how.  I  heard  Brother 
Brigham  say  that  if  our  enemies  would  leave 
us  alone  for  ten  years,  we'd  ask  no  odds  of 
'em.  It's  ten  years  ago  since  he  said  that. 
I  think  Brother  Brigham  '11  tend  to  these  fel- 
lers. Are  you  ready  to  go  to  work?)) 

«Well,  yes;  but  you  see  I  thought  I'd  wait 
and  see  how  it  turned  out,  but  if  you  say  so, 
I'm  with  you.)) 

So  that  morning  Marcus  King's  inheritance 
in  the  land  of  Zion  had  a  beginning.  The  stones 
for  the  corners  were  leveled,  and  the  "first 
round  of  logs  laid  on  them.  It  was  to  be  a 
two-roomed  house,  of  good  proportions  with 
a  «lean-to»  at  the  back. 

«I've  been  wonderin'  all  morning,))  said  the 
master  mechanic,  «what  you're  wanting  with 
such  a  tony  house  as  this,  but  now  I  see. 
You're  going  to  get  married." 


106  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

«0,  no;  you're  mistaken,  Brother  Wood.  I 
haven't  been  thinking  of  that  at  all.» 

((That's  what  all  young  fellers  say;  but  you 
can't  fool  me.  Janet's  a  mighty  fine  young 
woman,  even  if  she  has  red  hair.» 

((But  you  are  really  mistaken  about  that.» 

((Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that  you're  not 
going  to  marry  Janet  Harmon?)) 

(d  have  no  such  intentions  at  present.)) 

((Then  all  I  can  say  to  you  is  that  you're  actin' 
pretty  foolish  in  sparking  the  gal;))  and  the 
speaker  went  on  with  his  sawing. 

(ds  the  impression  out  that  Janet  and  I  are 
keeping  company,  Brother  Wood?)) 

((0,  I  don't  know  what  other  people  think. 
But  I've  got  ears  and  eyes,  and  I  can  tell  you, 
young  man,  that  if  you  don't  marry  Janet, 
there'll  be  a  good  heart  broken — why  don't 
you  get  married,  anyway?  There's  no  sense 
in  a  young  feller  like  you  going  around  single, 
when  there's  a  dozen  girls  right  here  in  this 
settlement  just  aching  to  get  you.)) 

Marcus  laughed  at  that,  but  after  all  he 
could  not  help  thinking  about  the  man's  re- 
marks about  Janet.  Of  course  he  could  marry 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  107 

her,  he  liked  her  well  enough,  but  there  was 
Alice,  and  his  vow,  or  prophecy,  whatever  he 
might  call  it.  It  seemed  to  stand  as  a  bar 
between  him  and  any  other  woman.  If  he 
had  been  unwise  towards  Janet,  it  would 
cease,  and  in  the  future  he  would  be  more 
careful.  Janet  had  had  trouble  enough  al- 
ready, and  so  had  he — he  could  sympathize 
with  her. 

***** 

History  has  dealt  fully  with  the  events  in 
Utah  during  that  period  when  the  troops  of 
the  United  States  marched  into  her  peaceful 
settlements  to  put  down  an  imaginary  revolt, 
and  this  personal  narrative  will  not  to  any 
extent  dwell  on  those  scenes.  Some  time  a 
great  poet  will  find  ample  material  for  his 
songs  in  the  scenes  of  those  days.  Some  day 
a  great  writer  will  find  all  he  needs  in  the 
heart  histories  of  those  trying  hours. 

When  the  people  had  decided  to  defend 
themselves,  there  were  hurried  preparations 
in  all  the  settlements  north  and  south.  Old 
muskets,  swords  and  pistols  were  brought  out 
and  cleaned.  Those  who  had  any  knowledge 


108  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

of  military  tactics  drilled  the  awkward  squads 
of  farmers.  Marcus  would  have  gone  to  Echo 
canyon,  but  it  was  decided  that  John  Dixon 
would  be  better  able  to  stand  the  hardships 
of  the  winter,  so  Marcus  stayed  at  home.  It 
is  well  known  how  the  troops  wintered  in  the 
bleak  mountains,  and  that  in  the  spring  they 
came  marching  into  Salt  Lake  valley;  how 
when  they  entered  the  villages,  they  found 
them  deserted;  and  how,  after  quartering  in 
the  territory  for  some  time,  they  marched 
back  again  to  the  more  bloody  fields  of  the 
South. 

It  was  no  great  trial  to  Marcus  to  move 
south.  It  was  far  worse  for  some  who  had 
large  families  and  who  had  only  got  a  short 
rest,  as  it  were,  from  their  wanderings. 
Janet's  mother  cried  when  she  left  her  little 
cabin. 

«I  thought  I  might  have  laid  my  bones  down 
in  peace,))  she  sobbed. 

But  there  were  no  great  hardships  in  that 
excursion  south,  and  when  they  all  came  back 
again  in  July  and  began  to  occupy  and  work 
as  usual,  many  looked  upon  it  as  a  little  out 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  109 

that  had  done  them  good.  With  new  energy 
they  digged  and  built,  planted  and  harvested, 
and  God  smiled  in  favor  upon  them  and  they 

prospered  in  the  land  as  never  before. 
*          *          *          *          ^         * 

The  settlement  where  Marcus  King  located 
soon  extended  its  borders  and  received  the 
name  of  Hernia.  Other  streets  were  added 
to  the  east  and  to  the  west  of  the  main  one, 
then  cross  streets  were  surveyed,  cutting  the 
place  into  square  blocks.  New  settlers  kept 
coming  in,  and  more  land  was  broken  and 
planted.  The  water  ditches  were  enlarged 
and  extended.  Then  a  store  was  built  where 
general  merchandise  was  to  be  had,  hauled 
from  the  Missouri  River  by  wagons.  Prices 
were  high,  it  may  be  believed. 

The  winter  following  the  move,  Marcus 
had  taught  school  in  Hernia.  Two  depart- 
ments were  organized.  One,  a  primary  over 
which  Janet  Harmon  presided,  and  the  more 
advanced  was  in  charge  of  Marcus.  Marcus 
invited  all  who  desired  to  attend,  and  many 
married  people  took  advantage  of  the  oppor- 
tunity to  add  to  their  limited  store  of  book 


110  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON 

learning.  In  the  evening  he  taught  an  ad- 
vanced class.  This  work,  and  especially  the 
evening  classes,  brought  Marcus  somewhat 
back  to  his  former  atmosphere,  with  the 
great  difference  in  his  favor  of  knowing  that 
what  he  was  teaching  was  the  truth  and 
having  the  blessed  assurance  of  a  satisfied 
conscience,  and  of  doing  a  noble  work  in  the 
community.  The  lack  of  books  and  the 
scarcity  of  aids  in  teaching  taxed  the  in- 
structors to  the  utmost,  but  when  spring  came, 
and  all  who  could  work  must,  all  agreed  that 
the  winter  had  been  spent  most  profitably. 
Janet,  however,  continued  to  meet  with  her 
flock  of  children  and  give  them  a  daily  les- 
son on  the  blackboard  in  the  school  house. 
One  Sunday  morning  in  early  May,  the 
people  of  Hernia  were  unusually  active. 
President  Brigham  Young  with  some  of  the 
leading  brethren  were  coming  to  hold  meet- 
ing that  day.  It  was  a  habit  of  the  great 
leader  to  travel  from  settlement  to  settle- 
ment among  the  people,  setting  the  Church 
in  order,  organizing  quorums,  laying  out 
townsites,  selecting  sites  for  tabernacles  and 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  Ill 

temples,  and  planning  irrigation  canals.  His 
visits  were  always  hailed  with  delight, 
and  early  that  morning  the  children  of 
Hernia  had  been  to  the  hills  to  gather  the 
few  early  flowers  with  which  to  decorate 
themselves.  The  old  bowery  from  last  year 
had  been  repaired  the  day  before. 

At  nine  o'clock  the  president's  carriage 
was  seen  coming  down  the  road,  and  soon  the 
children  took  their  position  in  two  lines  on 
each  side  of  the  street.    As  he  rode  through, 
he  smiled  and  bowed  to  them,  and  they  waved 
their  flowers.     The  meeting  soon  began  to 
gather  under  the  dry  bowery  by  the  side  of 
the  meeting  house.     The  plank  benches  were 
hard,  and  without  any  backs,  but  many  of  the 
older  people  came  early  to  get  a  seat  in  front. 
Marcus  had  met  the  president  a  number  of 
times,  and  now  as  Brother  Brigham  walked 
up  to  the  stand  he  met  Marcus.    He  stopped 
and  chatted  with  the  young  man  for  a  few 
moments.    Then  they  all  sang: 
«0  ye  mountains  high, 
Where  the  clear  blue  sky 
Arches  over  the  vales  of  the  f ree.» 


112  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

The  president  talked  to  them  about  the 
recent  trials  which  the  Church  had  been 
called  to  pass  through;  said  that  it  had  al- 
ready proved  a  great  blessing  to  them;  they 
could  now  look  forward  to  a  steady  growth 
both  in  temporal  and  spiritual  affairs;  and 
gave  much  other  good  advice.  Some  other 
speakers  followed  and  the  meeting  closed  for 
noon. 

In  the  afternoon  the  president  occupied 
nearly  all  the  time. 

Marcus  had  never  heard  such  a  sermon. 
It  was  not  a  rhetorically,  or  logically  ar- 
ranged sermon,  but  it  thrilled  him.  He  got 
a  striking  example  of  one  who  speaks,  not  as 
the  Pharisees,  but  as  one  having  authority. 

Towards  its  close  the  president  said: 

«Now,  my  brethren  and  sisters,  your  ward 
has  been  in  a  somewhat  disorganized  condi- 
tion; and  as  it  is,  you  are  laboring  under  dis- 
advantages. You  are  now  large  enough  to 
have  a  full  ward  organization  and  we  intend 
this  afternoon  to  present  to  you  the  name  of 
a  man  to  be  your  bishop.  He  can  then  choose 
his  counselors  and  they  can  set  everything 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  113 

in  running  order.  Brother  Thomas  here  has 
been  presiding  temporarily  and  he  has  done 
his  duty  as  far  as  I  can  find  out.  My  mind 
has  been  free  and  open  to  the  suggestions 
of  the  Spirit  as  to  whom  I  should  name  as 
your  bishop.  Until  I  walked  up  to  this  stand 
this  afternoon  I  was  in  doubt,  but  now  I 
know.» 

At  such  news,  the  congregation  naturally 
became  extremely  attentive  and  expectant. 
Some  had  thought  that  a  bishop  would  be 
presented  to  the  meeting,  but  who  they  could 
not  tell.  Half  a  dozen  names  had  been  men- 
tioned, and  among  them  Elder  Thomas,  who 
had  presided  thus  far;  but  he  was  a  very 
«slow»  man  and  it  was  doubtful  if  he  would 
be  named. 

((Brother  Marcus  King,))  said  the  presi- 
dent,)) will  you  please  come  to  the  stand?)) 

There  was  a  murmur  of  voices  as  Marcus 
strode  up  to  the  platform.  Marcus  himself 
had  no  clear  idea  of  what  was  coming. 

((This  is  the  man  the  Spirit  has  told  me  to 
name  as  your  bishop.  Brother  King,  tell  us 
what  you  think  of  it;»  and  the  president  sat 


114  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

down,  leaving  Marcus  to  face  the  meeting. 
The  audience  became  a  blur  to  him.  His 
head  seemed  to  reel  for  an  instant.  The 
suddenness  of  theisituation  had  nearly  stunned 
him.  He  stepped  up  to  the  table  and  said: 

((Brethren  and  sisters,  this  is  as  great  a 
surprise  to  me  as  it  is  to  you.  My  own  feel- 
ings cry  (no,  no,)  but  duty  tells  me  I  have  no 
right  to  say  that.  I  am  willing  to  try  any- 
thing that  God  or  His  servants  may  call  me 
to,  with  the  help  of  the  Lord.  Amen.» 

He  sat  down,  and  the  president  arose. 

«A11  who  favor  Brother  King  as  your  bish- 
op and  will  support  him  with  your  faith, 
your  prayers,  and  your  works,  make  it  mani- 
fest by  raising  the  right  hand.» 

Every  hand  went  up. 

«And  now,»  continued  the  president, 
((there  is  another  thing.  I  understand  that 
Brother  King  is  not  a  married  man.  It  is 
hardly  the  proper  thing  for  your  bishop  to 
set  you  such  a  bad  example,  and  Brother 
King,»  turning  around  to  him,  «I  charge  you 
to  get  a  wife,  or  two  if  you  like,  as  soon  as 
possible.)) 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  115 

At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  as  friends 
shook  his  hand,  Marcus  saw  Janet  glide 
quietly  past  him  and  away.  She  trembled 
visibly  and  her  face  was  white. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


HILE  at  school  Marcus  remem- 
bered  having  read  the  saying  of 
Paul  to  Timothy,  that  «if  a  man 
desire  the  office  of  a  bishop,  he  desireth  a 
good  work,»  and  how  he  had  associated  the 
passage  with  his  knowledge  of  bishops  as  he 
saw  them  in  the  various  denominations.  Then 
he  had  agreed  with  Paul.  His  highest  am- 
bition would  certainly  be  reached,  thought 
he,  if  he  ever  attained  that  lofty  position. 
But  now  he  was  a  Bishop,  a  real  Bishop,  and 
that  in  the  Church  of  Christ.  And  how  differ- 
ent to  what  his  ideal  had  been!  He  was  simply 
the  ecclesiastical  head  of  possibly  a  hundred 


116  MARCUS   KING,   MORMON. 

souls,  poor  and  struggling  in  a  new  country 
to  make  a  living;  and  he  was  one  of  them, 
working  daily  in  the  fields  for  his  own  sup- 
port. 

Though  the  new  Bishop  was  young,  yet  he 
was  well  liked  by  all.  His  counselors  were 
much  older  than  he,  and  so  all  classes  were 
satisfied  with  the  arrangement.  Marcus  took 
hold  of  his  office  with  a  vim  and  soon  had 
everything  in  the  ward  in  good  working  order. 
Of  course  a  few  objected  to  some  of  his  ((new- 
fangled ways»  as  they  called  them,  and  said 
that  he  was  too  new  from  the  sectarian  pulpit; 
but  these-  grumblers  were  not  many. 

Naturally  there  was  much  talk  of  what 
Brigham  had  said  to  Marcus  about  his  getting 
married.  Many  were  the  jokes  at  his  expense, 
but  he  laughed  them  all  away.  Of  course,  he 
meant  to  marry,  he  said,  but  he  must  be  given 
time  to  think  about  such  a  serious  matter. 

Though  he  would  say  it  in  a  jocular  way, 
he  thought  about  it  earnestly  enough;  and 
Alice  was  in  his  mind  all  the  time.  During 
the  «war»  the  mails  had  been  very  irregular 
and  news  from  Hungerton  had  been  scarce. 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  117 

He  had  written  but  one  letter  to  Alice,  but 
that  had  never  been  answered.  She  may  never 
have  received  it,  however,  and  that  spring — 
it  was  after  he  had  become  Bishop — he  had 
written  her  again,  and  sent  her  some  new 
Mormon  literature.  In  his  last  letters  to  his 
mother  he  had  asked  about  Alice,  but  he  heard 
nothing  from  her  through  that  source,  Alice 
having  left  Mrs.  King  some  time  during  the 
winter. 

•  It  was  the  middle  of  the  summer  before 
Marcus  got  another  bunch  of  letters  from  the 
east.  One  was  from  his  mother,  but  none 
from  Alice.  His  mother  had  been  very  sick, 
was  quite  weak  at  that  writing,  and  told  him 
not  to  be  surprised  if  she  wrote  no  more  to 
him.  «As  regards  Alice  Merton,»  she  wrote, 
«since  she  left  Hungerton  I  have  not  heard 
much  from  her.  She  has  lost  all  interest  in 
me,  I  fear.  You  remember  I  told  you  of  her 
father's  financial  failures,  and  how  his  busi- 
ness here  has  been  closed.  They  are  now  liv- 
ing on  their  farm  some  distance  from  town, 
but,  as  I  said,  I  hear  scarcely  anything  from 
them.  The  last  time  I  saw  Alice  she  was 

8 


118  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

driving  in  that  old  one-horse  buggy  of  theirs 
and  there  was  a  young  fellow  with  her.  It  is 
rumored  that  they  are  quite  intimate.  Well, 
Alice  is  getting  over  her  girl  days  and  I  can 
not  blame  her  for  getting  married  if  she  has 
a  good  offer;  but  I  had  such  hopes,  Marcus — 
Alice  is  such  a  good  girl — but  there,  what's 
the  use  of  my  writing  of  such  matters;  you 
no  doubt  care  very  little  for  her  now,  and 
there  are  plenty  of  girls  in  your  town  who 
would  gladly  marry  the  new  Bishop.)) 

On  the  whole,  it  was  a  depressing  letter. 
Marcus  worried  considerably  over  its  contents 
both  as  regards  his  mother  and  Alice.  He 
might  have  to  give  up  Alice,  after  all.  At 
least,  he  could  see  no  way  by  which  she  would 
ever  become  his  wife,  unless  the  hand  of  Prov- 
idence overruled  in  a  miraculous  manner; 
but  that  she  should  be  the  wife  of  another 
hurt  him  the  worst,  and  he  got  no  peace  of 
mind  on  that  matter  until  he  had  gone  to  the 
All-wise  and  All-merciful  and  poured  out  his 
heart  to  Him. 

Meanwhile  Janet  was  in  Salt  Lake  City. 
She  had  gone  there  directly  after  Marcus  had 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  119 

been  made  Bishop,  and  had  visited  Hernia  but 
a  few  times  since.  Marcus  had  neglected 
Janet.  Being  so  occupied  with  his  new  duties, 
he  had  thought  little  about  her.  Now  he 
could  see  his  negligence,  and  it  became  all  the 
more  glaring  when  considered  with  the  fact 
that  Janet  had  been  so  devoted  to  him.  If 
he  must  settle  down  to  a  married  life,  he 
knew  of  none  better  suited  to  him  than  Janet. 
He  did  not  try  to  deceive  himself.  He  did 
not  love  Janet  Harmon  as  he  loved  Alice 
Merton;  but  he  thought  a  great  deal  of  her, 
that  was  certain. 

And  now  rumors  came  to  him  about  Janet 
in  the  city.  She  «kept  company))  with  a  man 
that  was  not  right,  but  was  quarreling  with 
the  authorities  of  the  Church.  Marcus  tried 
to  see  her  on  a  number  of  his  trips  to  the  city, 
but  he  had  failed.  He  did  not  place  much 
reliance  in  this  talk,  as  he  knew  Janet  and 
her  opinions  too  well  to  suspect  such  things 
of  her. 

One  evening  Marcus  called  on  Sister  Har- 
mon to  inquire  about  Janet.  The  sister  was 
knitting  in  the  open  doorway,  at  the  same 


120  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON 

time  watching  the  light  fade  from  the  west- 
ern sky.^  [  She  had  aged  much  in  the  few  years 
she  had  been  in  the  west,  and  lately  her  health 
was  failing.  It  certainly  seemed  likely  that 
she  soon  would  have  her  wish  fulfilled  as  re- 
gards laying  down  her  bones  in  Zion. 

Marcus  would  not  take  the  chair  which  she 
had  vacated  for  him  but  he  sat  down  on  a 
bench  by  the  wall.  The  little  room  was  one 
of  the  neatest  that  the  Bishop  ever  went  into 
in  that  settlement.  With  the  extreme  scar- 
city of  anything  that  could  be  used  to  adorn 
or  make  comfort,  it  was  a  wonder  that  such 
a  room  could  be  made.  Out  of  the  common- 
est things  Janet's  skilled  fingers  had  made 
neat  ornaments.  The  clay  floor  had  recently 
been  hidden  by  one  of  sawn  boards,  and  little 
strips  of  home-made  carpet  covered  those 
boards  not  made  white  by  scrubbing.  The 
cleanest  and  freshest  white-wash  covered  the 
walls,  where  were  hung  a  few  cheap  prints 
with  frames  of  oak  and  autumn  leaves. 
Shelves  were  lined  with  scalloped  paper.  In 
the  little  window  behind  the  tiny  panes  of 
glass  stood  a  row  of  cans  filled  with  flowers: 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  121 

two  or  three  geraniums,  some  pinks,  and  a 
few  wild  flowers.  Marcus  went  up  to  them 
and  pulled  a  small  red  blossom. 

«And  so  Janet  doesn't  come  often  now?» 
said  he. 

«No;  she  doesn't  care  to  leave  her  place; 
and  you  know,  Brother  King,  a  girl  of  Janet's 
nature  likes  a  little  more  society  than  there 
is  here  in  Hernia.)) 

«Yes;  I  suppose  so;  but  what  about  that 
rumor?  Has  she  found  a  young  man  that 
cares  for  her?)) 

«Yes;  I  think  she  has.  There's  no  use  de- 
nying that;  at  least  he  seems  to  think  a  great 
deal  of  her.» 

«And  does  she  like  him?)) 

«Well  now,  Brother  King,  I  can't  say.  She's 
turned  so  strange  lately  that  I  can't  under- 
stand the  girl.  I  believe  that  she  thinks 
more  of  you  yet  than  of  him.» 

The  needles  stopped  their  busy  click  and 
the  old  sister  looked  steadily  at  him  with  a 
smile.  Marcus  was  trying  to  fasten  to  his 
jacket  the  flower  he  had  picked. 


122  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

«Fm  sorry,  Sister  Harmon — that  is,  I  sup- 
pose I  haven' b  treated  Janet  quite  right.)) 

«No;  I  don't  think  you  have.)) 

«But  you  know  my  story,  don't  you?  Janet 
does,  and  I  thought  you  would  understand.)) 

«Yes;  Janet  told  me  about  your  young  lady 
that  wouldn't  have  you  after  you  became  a 
Mormon.  Janet  was  in  the  same  fix — but 
bygones  are  bygones  with  her.)) 

Marcus  knew,  however,  that  there  was  a 
difference  in  their  cases. 

« Where  is  Janet  staying  now?  I'm  going 
to  town  tomorrow  and  I  should  like  to  see 
her?)) 

Sister  Harmon  went  to  the  shelf  and  brought 
down  a  letter  from  which  she  took  a  slip  of 
paper.  A  photograph  also  fell  to  the  floor. 

«0,  yes;  here's  his  picture,))  said  she  as  she 
handed  it  to  him. 

The  face  was  a  dear  one  to  Marcus  King. 
It  was  his  old  friend  who  had  brought  him 
the  Gospel,  Elder  Robert  James. 

«Do  you  know  him?))  she  asked. 

((Yes;  he  preached  the  Gospel  to  me  in 
Hungerton.)) 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  123 

((Indeed!  Well,  now,  that's  interesting;  but 
have  you  heard  that  he  is  on  the  back  track, 
as  they  say?» 

«Yes;  I've  heard  it,  but  I  can  hardly  believe 
it  of  him.  I  must  see  him  when  I  go  to  town. 
I  haven't  heard  from  him  for  a  long  time,  and 
had  no  idea  he  was  in  Salt  Lake.)) 

Marcus  brought  away  with  him  a  package 
for  Janet  from  her  mother,  and  a  sharp  pain 
in  his  heart  for  himself.  He  lost  no  time  in 
getting  an  early  start  for  the  city  next  morn- 
ing. 

He  found  Elder  James  at  work  on  his  farm 
on  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  and  when  he  took 
his  hand  and  looked  into  his  face,  Marcus 
found  that  there  was  some  truth  in  the  ru- 
mors he  had  heard.  The  man  spoke  in  a  con- 
fused way  and  his  actions  displayed  a  nerv- 
ousness not  natural  to  him.  Of  course  he  was 
pleased  to  see  Marcus. 

((I'll  unhitch  and  we'll  go  to  the  house. 
Sister  Harmon  is  my  housekeeper — you  know 
Janet  Harmon,  I  believe?)) 

«We  crossed  the  Plains  together,  that  is, 
part  way,  and  she  has  lived  in  Hernia.)) 


124  MARCUS  KING,  MORMON. 

« Yes;  she  has  told  me  of  you.  You  see,  I  lost 
my  wife  two  years  ago,  and  I  must  have  some- 
one to  look  after  my  two  children.  Janet 
does  it  splendidly.  She's  a  fine  woman.)) 

The  horses  were  unhitched  from  the  plow, 
and  they  made  for  the  stable,  the  two  men 
following. 

«So  this  is  your  farm?))  asked  Marcus. 
«  You've  got  a  fine  piece  of  land  here.» 

«Yes;  it's  a  pretty  good  farm,  but  Fve  sold 
it.» 

«Is  that  so?» 

«Yes;  Fm  going  east  in  the  spring.  Fve 
an  offer  of  a  good  position  back  in  my  native 
state,  and  I  think  Fd  better  go.  Fm  not 
wanted  here  any  longer.)) 

«Why,  what's  the  matter,  Brother  James?)) 

«Fm  finding  too  much  fault,  that's  all.  You 
haven't  heard,  perhaps,  but  the  fact  is  that  I 
am  already  as  good  as  an  outcast  here. 
Things  are  not  run  right  to  my  notion,  and 
because  I  point  it  out,  I  am  ostracized.)) 

«But,  dear  brother,  the  Gospel  is  the  same, 
isn't  it?» 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  125 

«Yes;  I  don't  deny  that,  but  Brigham  is 
wrong.)) 

They  came  to  the  house,  where  they  met 
Janet  coming  from  the  cellar  with  a  pan  of 
milk.  At  sight  of  Marcus  she  nearly  dropped 
it.  ((Look  out,»  he  said,  «if  I'm  to  have  any 
of  that  for  dinner.)) 

She  was  surprised,  and  also  a  little  uneasy, 
Marcus  thought.  However,  she  busied  herself 
with  getting  some  dinner,  finding  time  once 
in  a  while  to  ask  about  matters  in  Hernia. 

At  the  table  they  asked  and  answered  ques- 
tions for  some  time  regarding  their  doings 
since  they  had  parted  in  Iowa  City.  This  led 
on  to  their  experiences  in  and  around  Hunger- 
ton,  and  Elder  James  asked  about  many  of 
his  friends,  if  Marcus  had  any  news  from  them. 
The  old-time  light  came  into  his  eyes,  and  the 
old-time  interest  awakened  when  these  mis- 
sionary reminiscences  were  indulged  in;  and 
Marcus  began  to  doubt  his  first  conclusions. 

«I  live  with  John  and  Eliza  Dixon  in  Hernia. 
They  are  still  true  to  the  faith  as  you  taught 
it  to  them,  Robert.  Why  don't  you  come  out 
and  see  them?» 


126  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON 

«Well,  I  have  often  thought  I  would  go  out 
and  see  you  all,  but  this  trouble  of  mine  has 
prevented  me.  I  didn't  think  you  would  care 
to  see  me.» 

«I  will  always  be  glad  to  see  you,  Robert. 
I  can  never  forget  what  I  owe  to  you.  I  am 
trying  to  live  up  to  the  principles  you  taught 
me  also.  I  know  they  are  true — and  you 
know  it,  too.» 

Robert's  hand  trembled  as  he  pushed  his 
hair  from  his  forehead,  and  wiped  away  the 
dampness. 

«Yes,»  he  said  in'alow,  tremulous  voice;  «I 
know  they  are  true.  I  don't  deny  them,  Mar- 
cus, and  I  hope  1  never  shall.  The  principles 
are  all  right,  but — »  and  here  he  raised  his 
voice,  «the  authorities  are  all  wrong.)) 

«I  shall  not  try  to  show  you  the  fallacy  of 
that  position.  It  seems  altogether  too  strange 
for  me  to  be  your  teacher.)) 

«0,  that's  all  right.  You're  a  Bishop,  you 
know.  You  stand  in  with  Brigham,  and  are 
all  right.)) 

Marcus  did  not  desire  to  quarrel  with  his 
old  friend.  He  was  too  much  pained  for  that. 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  127 

So  they  parted  with  a  good  spirit  and  Marcus 
had  him  promise  that  he  would  visit  his 
friends  in  Hernia  the  next  Sunday. 

Janet  had  said  but  little  during  the  talk. 
The  children  came  rushing  in  to  get  their  din- 
ner, and  she  busied  herself  with  them. 

((You'll  come,  too,  Janet,))  said  Marcus. 
!i«I   don't  know — Fd  like   to   see  Mother, 
but — )) 

((Let  there  be  no  <buts,)  Janet.  You  must 
promise  me  to  come.  I  want  you  to  come, 
Janet.)) 

((Then  I'll  be  there,))  she  said.  And  her 
eyes  followed  him  to  the  gate  and  up  the  road. 

The  next  Saturday  Bishop  King  was  irri- 
gating corn  when  he  saw  a  passing  team 
stop  at  Harmon's  and  Janet  alight.  He  had 
doubted  her  coming  at  all,  but  here  she  was, 
a  day  ahead. 

That  evening  Marcus  called.  He  smiled  to 
himself  as  he  brushed  his  coat  and  put  on  a 
tie,  before  going.  It  had  been  such  a  long 
time  since  he  had  done  any  ((dressing))  to 
call  on  the  ladies  that  the  act  now  had  a 
certain  charm  in  it. 


128  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

Janet  must  have  expected  him.  She  was 
dressed  better  than  he  had  ever  seen  her, 
and  she  reminded  him  of  the  first  sight  he 
had  of  her  on  the  Plains.  Save  for  a  sad  ex- 
pression that  seemed  to  have  made  itself 
permanent  in  her  face,  she  showed  her  pecul- 
iar beauty  to  advantage  that  evening.  A 
little  pang  akin  to  jealousy  shot  through  his 
breast. 

Janet  had  brought  a  few  simple  luxuries 
from  the  city  and  mother  and  daughter  were 
enjoying  them  at  the  table. 

«You're  just  in  time,»  exclaimed  the 
mother.  ((There's  just  a  taste  of  this  cake 
left  for  you.» 

((We're  fast  getting  back  to  old  conditions,)) 
said  he,  ((when  we  can  have  sugar  in  our 
cake.  This  was  sweetened  with  sugar, 
wasn't  it,  Janet?)) 

Janet  nodded. 

«Yes;  and  when  we  can  dress  like  that,» 
said  the  mother  pointing  to  Janet. 

«Now,  Mother,  you  know  that  this  is  the 
cheapest  kind  of  stuff.)) 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  129 

«It  must  be  in  the  making,))  said  Marcus, 
«for  I  assure  you,  it  looks  pretty  fine.)) 

«Fm  going  to  get  some  cooler  milk,»  and 
the  girl  went  to  the  cellar  with  the  tin 
pail. 

«Brother  James  will  be  here  tomorrow, 
won't  he?))  Marcus  asked,  when  she  re  turned. 

«Yes;  he  and  the  children.)) 

Sister  Harmon,  good  old  scheming  soul, 
said  she  had  an  errand  at  a  neighbor's. 
Janet  pleaded  to  go  instead,  but  she  was 
ordered  to  stay  and  entertain  her  company. 

«The  Bishop  is  your  company,  Mama,  not 
mine.))  The  words  leaped  from  her  as 
though  she  could  not  control  them.  Then 
she  straightway  apologized: 

«A11  right  Mother,  go  on.  I'll  do  my  best. 
You'll  forgive  me,  won't  you,  Brother  King?» 

«I  forgive  all  men — likewise  all  women,)) 
he  answered,  «in  hopes  that  I  also  will  be 
forgiven  of  them.)) 

The  door  was  open  and  the  moon  shone  in 
on  the  floor.  A  cool  breeze  came  from  the 
mountains,  and  blew  out  like  a  sail  the  little 
white  curtain  at  the  window.  Marcus  drew 


130  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

his  chair  into  the  draught.  Janet  cleared 
the  table. 

«How  long  have  you  lived  with  Brother 
James?»  he  asked. 

((Just  this  summer.)) 

«And  how  long  has  he  been  feeling  as  he 
does?» 

«I  don't  know.  He  says  very  little  to  me 
about  such  things.  I  was  somewhat  sur- 
prised myself  at  what  he  said  to  you  the 
other  day.)) 

«You  don't  know  how  sorry  I  am,  when  I 
see  a  man  like  Brother  James  fall  into  the 
dark.  Why,  he  has  been  on  a  mission, 
preached  the  Gospel  to  hundreds,  and  done  a 
vast  amount  of  good;  and  after  it  all  to 
apostatize!  I  don't  understand  it.  Now,  if 
it  had  been  you  or  me,  Janet,  who  haven't 
done  much  for  the  Church,  and  who  are 
quite  new,  it  wouldn't  have  been  so  surpris- 
ing, but  Brother  James — well,  it's  awful.)) 

«T  did  not  think  it  was  that  bad,  He's 
been  very  kind  to  me.)) 

«Janet,  do  you  know  what  rumor  has  it 
about  you?» 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  131 

«No;  what  rumor  ?»  She  stood  leaning 
against  the  open  door.  The  moonlight 
streamed  through  her  hair,  making  a  pecul- 
iarly beautiful  effect. 

«Why,  that  you  and  Brother  James  are 
keeping  company.)) 

«And  what  if  we  are?  Whose  business  is 
it?»  She  stood  up  erect  against  the  door. 
Marcus  leaned  across  the  cleared  table  and 
looked  at  her.  He  had  never  seen  her  so 
charming. 

«Janet,  I  did  not  mean  to  offend  you  by 
repeating  gossip,))  he  said  quietly.  «For  my 
own  knowledge  I  wanted  to  know.)) 

She  stood  as  if  rigid.     Marcus  could  hear 

that  she  breathed  hard,  but  she  said  nothing. 

«I  wanted  the  information,  Janet,  so  that  I 

would  know  how  to  act.     I  do  not  wish  to 

be  unfair  or  unmanly.     If  you  have  promised 

to  marry  Brother  James, then  I'll  say  no  more.)) 

It  was  a  bold  move  he  made,  but  he  might 

as  well  out  with  it. 

«Fve  not  promised  to  marry  Brother  James.)) 
«Thank  you  for  telling  me.     Won't  you  sit 
down  here,  Janet,  while  I  talk  to  you.)) 


132  MARCUS  KING,  MORMON. 

She  answered  not,  she  did  not  move,  so 
Marcus  arose  and  stood  on  the  other  side  of 
the  open  door,  quite  close  to  her.  A  field  of 
ripening  wheat  was  just  outside,  but  its 
countless  ears  would  never  hear.  However, 
they  nodded  back  and  forth  towards  each 
other  in  the  moonlight  as  if  they  were 
whispering  a  secret  tale  of  love. 

«Janet,  you  can't  imagine  the  responsibil- 
ity there  is  to  being  Bishop  even  in  such  a 
small  place  as  this.  I've  been  alone  in  the 
work  long  enough,  and  if  I  can  get  some  one 
to  help  me,  it  will  be  better.)) 

«You  can  get  ten  girls  to  marry  you,  if 
that  is  what  you  mean,))  she  said  with  an  effort. 

«But  I  don't  want  ten,  I  want  but  one — » 

((And  she  is  in  Hungerton.  You  are  in  a 
fix,  Bishop.))  There  was  a  sneer  in  her  tone 
this  time. 

Marcus  walked  back  to  the  chair.  He 
was  silenced.  She  had  turned  on  him,  she 
was  playing  with  him,  and  he  knew  now  that  he 
loved  her.  He  could  not  say  anything  to 
her,  and  she  stood  there  looking,  staring  out 
into  the  fields. 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  133 

«Well,  Janet,»  he  said  at  last,  «I  see  that 
it  is  useless  to  say  anything  further  to  you 
tonight.))  He  pushed  the  chair  away  and 
reached  for  his  hat.))  Perhaps,  tomorrow — 
but  Brother  James  will  be  here  then  and 
there  is  no  telling— 0,  Janet,  why  do  you 
despise  me,  what  have  I  done  that  you 
should  hate  me!» 

The  girl  walked  waveringly  to  the  chair, 
leaned  her  head  on  the  table  and  burst  into 
loud  sobs.  Marcus  stood  hat  in  hand  as  if 
helpless.  Then  he  went  to  her,  and  as  a 
father  would  place  his  hand  on  the  head  of  a 
child,  he  placed  his  on  the  bowed  head. 
Then  he  drew  another  chair  up  to  her,  and 
sat  there  until  her  sobs  grew  less  violent. 
Then  he  gently  took  her  hand,  and  lifted  her 
head  from  the  table.  All  her  passion  had 
vanished  and  she  yielded  to  each  pressure  of 
his  hand. 

«I  did  not  mean  to  be  hard,))  she  said  at 
last,  «but  I  thought  you  never  have  cared 
for  me,  and  now  your  talk  puts  the  devil  into 
my  heart.  Forgive  me,  Marcus.)) 

«I  have  nothing  to  forgive,  but  you  have 


134  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

all.  I  have  ill-treated  you.  I  have  neg- 
lected you,  but  it  shall  be  so  no  longer.  Do 
you  think  you  can  forgive  me,  and  learn  to 
love  me?)) 

«I  love  you  now,  Marcus.))  She  only  whis- 
pered it,  but  he  heard  it  plainly  and  he 
pressed  her  head  onto  his  shoulder,  while  her 
soft,  warm  hand  clasped  his  in  a  firm  grasp. 
The  breeze  sank  to  a  zephyr.  The  moon 
sailed  behind  a  cloud.  Then  he  kissed  her, 
and  what  were  words  after  that? 

«Marcus,))  she  said,  «now  I  must  talk. 
Mother  will  be  here  presently,  and  I  don't 
care  for  her  to  see  my  swollen  eyes.  Let 
us  walk  up  and  down  outside!)) 

So  Marcus  slipped  her  arm  into  his  and  they 
walked  down  the  road  bordering  the  wheat 
field  and  the  hay  meadow. 

((Marcus,  you  haven't  said  that  you  love  me.» 

«Then  I  will  say  it  now.» 

«Hush!  but  we  may  take  it  for  granted 
that  you  care  a  little  for  me.  Still — now 
don't  deny  it,  Marcus — you  think  more  of 
Alice  Merton.» 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  135 

«But  that  is  in  the  past.  It  is  useless  to 
talk  about  it.» 

«Perhaps,  and  perhaps  not.  However,  let 
us  understand  each  other,  let  us  have  no  se- 
crets between  us.  I  have  told  you  mine.)) 

«And  you  don't  care  for  Robert  James?)) 

«Not  a  bit.  Never  did.  I  only  cared  for 
you  and  I  shall  thank  God  that  tonight  He  has 
answered  my  prayers. » 

How  could  Marcus  have  been  so  blind  to 
such  a  sublime  love! 

«Now  listen  to  me,))  and  she  pinched  his 
arm.  «I'm  not  going  to  marry  you  just  yet.» 

«Well,  why  not?  Hasn't  my  house  stood 
vacant  long  enough?)) 

«Fm  going  to  give  you  a  chance  to  marry 
Alice  first.)) 

«But  my  dear  Janet,  you  can't  give  me  that 
chance.  That's  in  the  past.)) 

«Hush,  let  me  tell  you.  We  can  wait  and 
see.  We  know  not  what  time  will  bring. 
We  must  give  Alice  a  chance.  She  loves 
you  and  you  love  her — you  love  her  more 
than  you  love  me.  I'm  used  to  that  thought 
now  and  it  don't  hurt  me.  You  can  marry 


136  MARCUS  KING,  MORMON 

Alice  first,  Fm  willing.  It  is  her  right.  I 
will  come  in  afterwards  and  be  a  help  to  you 
both.» 

«My  dear  girl,  I  bless  you  for  your  words. 
I  had  not  thought  it  possible  for  a  woman  to 
say  them  as  you  have.  I  do  love  Alice, 
and  I  think  I  always  shall;  but  remember, 
that  does  not  hinder  me  from  loving  you,  yea, 
now  a  hundred  fold  more  than  ever.)) 

«I  know  it,  Marcus,  I  know  it;  you  love  me 
of  course,  but  not  like  you  love  Alice;  and 
it's  all  right.  It's  not  to  be  expected  other- 
wise. We  must  give  Alice  another  chance. 
If  you  marry  me  first,  it  would  break  Alice's 
heart.  I  can  come  in  second,  you  know. 
That  will  be  easier  for  her,  when  she  under- 
stands it.» 

« Yes;  but  she  never  will  understand,  I  fear.» 

«She  may,  Marcus.  That's  in  God's  hands. 
We  must  give  her  another  chance  anyway. 
Marcus,  I  had  a  letter  from  her  last  winter.)) 

«You?» 

«Yes;  I've  never  told  you  before  because  I 
was  jealous.  She  asked  about  you.  0,  it 
was  such  a  beautiful  letter,  and  full  of  love 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  137 

to  you.  I  believe  she  is  a  good  girl,  and 
I  have  not  treated  her  right  because  I  have 
not  answered  it  yet.» 

«You  surprise  me.  How  could  she  have 
gotten  your  address?  She  has  never  answer- 
ed any  of  my  letters.)) 

«I  suppose  she  got  it  through  Brother 
Dixon,  or  perhaps  through  Robert  James.  He 
has  written  back,  I  understand.)) 

It  was  getting  late.  The  mother  was 
looking  out  of  the  door  for  them,  and  they 
walked  up  to  her  arm  in  arm. 

«It's  all  right,  mother,))  said  Marcus,  «Janet 
and  I  have  come  to  an  understanding  at  last 
and  we  want  your  sanction  and  blessing.)) 

«And  you  may  have  both,))  she  said,  and 
continued  about  now  being  able  to  lay  down 
her  bones  in  peace,  which  Marcus  just  »made 
out  as  he  leaped  over  the  fence  on  a  short 
cut  home. 


138  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


fT  was  a  pleasant  party  that  assembled  at 
John  Dixon's  the  next  day.     There  were 
John  and  his  wife,  Sister  Harmon  and 
Janet,  Robert  James    and  the  two  children, 
and  the  Bishop  of  Hernia  with  little  Ida  al- 
ternately on  his  arm  and  knee. 

There  are  no  more  pleasant  associations 
than  those  formed  in  the  mission  field. 
Somehow,  that  «first  love»  for  the  Gospel  is 
awakened  and  renewed  by  meeting  friends 
from  old  mission  grounds.  What  good  times 
to  be  recalled!  What  outpourings  of  the 
Spirit  to  be  remembered!  What  experiences 
with  opposing  forces  to  be  narrated  again! 
And  so  that  little  party  at  Dixon's  were  all 
day,  between  meetings,  talking  of  old  times 
and  rejoicing  in  each  other's  company. 

It  was  not  until  towards  evening  that 
Robert  James  showed  his  disposition  to  find 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  139 

fault,  and  then  he  began  in  a  manner  that 
jarred  on  the  Bishop's  feelings.  Marcus  did 
not  care  to  bring  on  any  discussion  and  so  mar 
the  good  spirit  of  the  meeting;  but  he  could 
not  quietly  hear  slandered  those  whom  he 
considered  Apostles  and  Prophets,  and  al- 
though not  without  their  faults,  still  good 
men.  So  he  said  to  his  friend  Robert  in  the 
hearing  of  all: 

((Brother  James,  I'm  surprised  at  you. 
Fm  surprised  that  you  should  say  such 
things.  You  are  a  reasonable  man,  and 
understand  the  philosophy  of  the  Gospel. 
Tell  me  how  it  is  that  the  leaders,  the  heads 
of  the  true  Church,  can  be  in  the  wrong  and 
still  that  Church  grow,  and  prosper,  and  be 
in  the  right?  Can  the  head  be  sick  without 
the  body  knowing  it?» 

«The  body  does  know  it.» 

«An  individual  now  and  then  thinks  so;  not 
the  Church  as  a  whole.)) 

«Well,  I  think  I  know  what  I'm  talking 
about.  I  know  more  about  Brigham  Young 
than  you  do.» 

«You  may  do  that.     When  I  know  that  he 


140  MARCUS  KING,  MORMON. 

stands  at  the  head  of  the  Church  of  Christ 
on  the  earth,  I  do  not  care  to  know  all  his 
faults  and  misdoings,  for  of  course  he  is  not 
perfect,  being  a  mortal  man  like  the  rest  of 
us.  Knowing  the  Gospel  to  be  true,  I  can  be 
satisfied  whomsoever  God  pleases  to  put  at 
the  head.  I  can  reason  no  other  way.  I  can 
not  believe  that  an  impure  fountain  can 
bring  forth  pure  waters.)) 

«Fm  not  going  to  reason  with  you,  Marcus, 
on  that  point.)) 

«I  didn't  say  that  to  you  when  you  came 
to  Hungerton.  I  reasoned  with  you,  and 
tried  to  hold  my  point  too;  but  when  I  saw 
that  I  was  beaten,  I  gave  in,  didn't  I?» 

«Yes;  but  really  I  see  no  use  in  talking; 
what's  done  can't  be  undone.  I've  sold  my 
place  and  am  going  East.  Perhaps  they  will 
cut  me  off  the  Church  before  I  go.  Then 
I'll  be  out  of  it,  and  will  get  away  from 
Mormonism  for  a  while.  Come,  children, 
let's  be  going.  I'm  sorry  that  I  should  dis- 
appoint you  so,  Marcus,  but  I  can't  help  it. 
You  keep  on,  and  you'll  be  all  right.)) 

He  tried  to  laugh,  a  forced,  sickly  laugh, 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  141 

as  he  prepared  to  go.  The  others  looked  on 
in  silence.  Marcus  arose  and  stood  by  the 
table,  his  eyes  blazing. 

«Robert,  wait  a  moment.  You  taught  me 
the  eternal  truth  and  I  now  tell  it  to  you.  I 
want  you  to  remember  that  I  have  borne  my 
testimony  to  you.  You  said  you  would  get 
away  from  Mormonism. 

((Robert  James,  I  tell  you  solemnly  you  can 
not  get  away  from  Mormonism,  you  can  not 
get  outside  of  it.  Do  what  you  will,  go 
where  you  may,  eternal  truth  will  be  there, 
and  that  is  Mormonism.  Take  the  wings  of 
the  morning  and  fly  to  the  uttermost  parts 
of  the  universe,  and  there  is  God  and  His 
children — that  is  Mormonism.  In  life  or  in 
death  Mormonism  will  meet  you,  and  remind 
you  of  its  truths.  You  might  as  well  try  to 
run  away  from  your  innermost  soul  as  to 
escape  from  Mormonism.  You  might  as 
well  try  to  get  outside  of  time  and  space,  as 
to  get  outside  of  Mormonism.  You  can't 
do  it,  Brother  James,  you  can't  do  it! 


142  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

'Tis  the  last  and  the  first, 
For  the  limits  of  time  it  steps  o'er: 
Though  the  heavens  depart,  and  the  earth's  foun- 
tains burst, 
Truth,  the  sum  of  existence,  will  weather  the 

worst, 
Eternal,  unchanged,  evermore. 

And  that  is  Mormonism!» 

They  all  stood  held  by  the  words.  No 
one  spoke,  but  Robert  James  put  on  his  hat, 
took  a  child  by  each  hand  and  walked  away. 
He  went  straight  to  where  his  horses  were 
feeding  by  his  wagon,  and  taking  no  heed 
of  the  pleadings  to  remain,  he  hitched  up 
and  drove  off  to  town.  The  last  they  heard 
of  him  in  the  dark  was  that  the  children 

were  crying  to  stay. 

*  *  *  *  *  * 

Janet  went  to  the  city,  had  a  talk  with 
Robert  James,  and  then  came  back  to  Hernia. 
She  and  Marcus  were  much  together,  and 
now  it  was  generally  conceded  that  the 
Bishop  would  get  a  wife.  However,  weeks 
went  by  and  the  golden  autumn  came  and 
still  there  was  no  change. 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  143 

«You  are  not  to  be  in  a  hurry,  Marcus, 
about  my  setting  the  date,»  said  she;  ((you'll 
grant  me  that.)) 

((Take  your  own  time,  my  dear;  but  our 
good  people,  the  neighbors,  are  getting  im- 
patient,)) he  answered. 

Meanwhile,  Janet  had  answered  Alice's 
letter  and  in  due  time  of  the  stage  coach  she 
got  an  answer.  It  was  a  strange  letter. 

Expressing,  as  the  writer  did,  strong  con- 
demnation, she,  at  the  same  time,  could  not 
hide  her  love  for  Marcus.  Janet  could  read 
that  plainly  between  the  lines.  Janet  an- 
swered it  at  once,  and  in  her  letter  she  told 
Alice  the  facts  as  regarding  Marcus  and  as 
regards  herself.  She  was  open  with  her  and 
laid  bare  her  soul  to  the  unknown  girl. 
Janet  thought  it  was  her  duty  to  do  so.  She 
meant  to  do  what  was  right  by  Alice  Merton, 
and  give  her  the  one  chance  more.  She  had 
studied  it  all  out  during  her  long  absence 
from  Hernia,  when  she  had  been  greatly  in 
doubt  whether  Marcus  had  any  love  for  her. 
She  had  thought  of  that  first  love,  which 
had  been  so  easily  changed.  As  she  looked 


144  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

back  upon  it,  she  thanked  God  that  it  had 
gone  no  further  than  it  had.  When  she 
thought  of  Marcus,  with  his  high  ideals,  his 
nobility  of  character,  and  his  manhood,  how 
low  in  the  scale  that  other  man  sank!  But — 
but  she  was  not  sure  of  Marcus;  far  from  it. 
Looking  back  on  their  acquaintance  she 
could  find  nothing  in  him  that  would  indicate 
more  than  a  deep  respect  for  her.  His  mind 
had  been  so  filled  with  Alice  that  there  had 
been  no  room  for  her.  At  first  she  resented 
it,  and  vowed  that  she  would  never  again 
show  her  heart  to  Marcus,  as  she  had  done 
on  some  occasions.  But  the  more  she  thought 
and  the  more  she  prayed  about  it,  the  clearer 
became  her  right  position  toward  herself  and 
them.  Envy  left  her,  resentment  found  no' 
place  within  her  heart.  It  was  all  shown 
to  her  so  clearly.  Her  duty  was  plain. 
There  was  sacrifice  in  it,  but  beyond  it  all 
there  was  peace  and  joy,  and  a  glory  which 
God  gave  her  a  glimpse  of.  With  all  this  in 
her  soul  she  had  penned  that  last  letter  to 
Alice,  and  now  she  would  wait  for  an  answer. 
It  would  take  weeks,  perhaps  months,  but 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  145 

wait  she  would  before  she  would  give  her 
hand  to  Marcus  King.  And  Marcus  also 
waited  patiently. 

In  those  early  days,  the  one  house,  some- 
times rude,  answered  for  meetinghouse, 
schoolhouse,  amasement  hall,  and  any  and 
every  kind  of  public  gathering*  Marcus  had 
his  ideals  even  in  these  wild  surroundings, 
and  he  did  not  lose  sight  of  them.  That 
fall,  when  the  harvesting  was  over,  he  began 
the  movement  to  build  that  new  meeting- 
house. That  meetinghouse?  Yes;  it  was 
the  only  one  of  its  kind  in  the  valley  for 
a  long  time,  and  many  of  the  old  settlers 
can  yet  tell  of  that  wonderful  structure. 

Marcus  talked  the  project  up  well  before 
beginning,  and  the  majority  of  the  people 
were  heartily  in  favor  of  his  plans.  A  few 
only  thought  the  schoolhouse  good  enough, 
and  said  the  Bishop  was  going  back  to  his 
old  sectarian  notions  of  fine  churches.  A 
building  committee  was  appointed,  of  which 
Marcus  was  chairman.  He  was  also  the 
architect  of  the  new  house,  while  Brother 
Wood  was  the  foreman  of  the  work. 


146  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

«We  fix  up  the  best  we  know  how,»  Mar- 
cus preached,  «when  we  invite  our  friends  to 
see  us.  Let  us  not  discriminate  against  the 
Lord.  Every  Sabbath  at  least  we  invite  the 
Lord  to  meet  with  us,  and  what  kind  of  a 
reception  room  do  we  provide  for  Him? 
Well,  you  all  know  what  condition  our  room 
is  often  in  on  a  Sunday  after  a  dance.  There 
can  be  nothing  too  good  for  the  Lord  or  His 
Spirit.  That  we  try  to  make  our  temples 
the  most  beautiful  buildings  that  the  human 
hand  can  construct,  is  proof  of  this.  I  have 
heard  some  complaints  about  this  matter. 
One  brother  said  that  it  was  sectarian,  and 
smattered  of  the  pride  of  the  world.  I 
don't  think  so.  The  children  of  this  world 
are  often  wiser  than  the  children  of  light. 
They  make  their  places  of  worship  beautiful 
and  attractive,  that  people  may  be  drawn  to 
them  and  take  a  delight  in  coming.  Why 
shouldn't  we  do  the  same?  We,  out  here  in 
the  West,  must  <rough  it)  all  the  week.  We 
come  in  close  contact  with  mother  earth, 
and  her  stains  are  upon  us.  We  learn  to 
live  with  the  soil  and  forget  to  look  up  to 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  147 

the  beautiful  blue  sky.  Now,  I  think  that 
once  in  a  while  we  should  get  away  from  our 
life  of  drudgery,  and  soar,  as  it  were,  in  the 
beauties  of  heaven.  I  think  we  should  have 
a  place  into  which  we  might  enter  and  its 
very  atmosphere  draw  our  minds  to  God.» 

So  the  work  was  begun.  The  logs  came 
from  the  canyon,  and  the  hewers  cut  them 
smooth  on  both  sides.  A  site  was  selected 
which  could  be  irrigated,  and  a  foundation 
was  laid.  Marcus  had  plenty  of  skilled 
laborers  who  were  glad  to  thus  renew  their 
acquaintance  with  their  old  trades.  Each 
took  a  pride  in  doing  his  best.  There  was  a 
scarcity  of  material  but  it  was  a  wonder  to 
see  the  ingenuity  that  was  exhibited  to  over- 
come difficulties. 

The  sisters  were  not  idle.  With  Janet  at 
their  head,  they  gathered  a  great  many  rags, 
which  they  sewed  and  weaved  into  beautiful 
strips  of  carpet.  These  were  for  the  stand 
and  aisles,  perhaps  the  whole  floor  if  they 
could  get  enough.  Then  there  were  some 
coverings  for  the  windows,  something  in  the 
nature  of  curtains  or  blinds  to  keep  out  the 


148  MARCUS  KING,  MORMON. 

hot  summer  sun.  There  was  much  planning 
before  anything  satisfactory  was  devised. 
Then  Janet  said  there  must  be  some  decora- 
tions for  the  walls,  and  old  trunks  were  ran- 
sacked for  suitable  pictures.  These  were 
framed  in  a  dozen  varieties. 

The  whole  of  Hernia  was  aroused.  Every 
man,  woman,  and  child  had  or  wanted  some- 
thing to  do  with  the  building  of  the  new 
meetinghouse.  This  was  true  even  with  the 
grumblers.  As  the  walls  slowly  arose,  the 
plasterer  was  scheming  and  experimenting  to 
get  the  best  plaster  out  of  the  material  he 
could  procure.  The  painters  and  decorators, 
and  there  was  an  artist  among  them,  also 
were  hard  at  work  mixing  unheard  of  pig- 
ments and  experimenting  with  their  own 
rooms  with  effects  ofttimes  the  most  start- 
ling. 

As  heads  of  the  two  divisions,  Marcus  and 
Janet  met  and  schemed.  Marcus  had  drawn 
quite  elaborate  plans  which  he  explained  to 
Janet  one  afternoon. 

«In  the  spring  we  shall  try  to  get  some 
shrubbery,))  said  he.  «I  have  already  sent 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  149 

after  some  grass  seed  which  I  intend  to  plant 
this  fall.  Then  here  we  shall  have  a  row  of 
trees — we  shall  have  a  variety,  poplars,  box 
elders,  locusts,  and  so  forth.  Then  I'm  going 
to  write  back  to  Hungerton  to  the  old  janitor 
there  and  ask  him  to  send  me  some  roots  of 
that  ivy  which  nearly  buries  the  church. 
That  I  will  plant  here  on  each  side  of  the 
vestibule,  and  make  some  trellis  work  for  it 
to  climb  upon.» 

They  leaned  over  the  table  and  examined 
the  drawings,  their  heads  being  close  to- 
gether. 

« Where  are  your  flower  beds?))  she  asked. 

«Well,  I  hardly  dared  go  that  far.)) 

« Why  not?  Flowers  are  as  easy  to  raise 
as  trees  or  grass.  I  want  some  flowers.  A 
big  boquet  must  be  on  the  stand  every  Sun- 
day morning.)) 

«Pm  no  florist,  but  you  are,  so  here  goes,)) 
whereupon  some  circles  and  diamonds  were 
drawn  upon  the  paper. 

«And  if  any  teams  are  hitched  close  by  to 
injure  all  this,  there'll  be  a  row.)) 

((That's  all  provided  for,»  laughed  Marcus 


150  MARCUS   KING,   MORMON. 

«See  here  across  the  street  we  are  to  plant  a 
double  row  of  trees  for  the  teams.» 

«I  like  this,»  said  Janet.  «You  know  this 
is  doing  something.  We're  shaping  the  fu- 
ture, we're  creating,  we're  pioneers.)) 

«Pve  told  you  that  before,  haven't  I?)) 

They  were  in  reality  two  happy  people. 

Then  Janet  reminded  Marcus  of  the  wild- 
ness  of  life  among  the  young  people,  and 
their  lack  of  gentle  manners.  Marcus  was 
aware  of  it  well  enough,  but  was  at  a  loss  to 
know  how  to  check  it.  So,  together  they 
talked  it  over  and  decided  that  they  would 
take  a  more  active  part  in  the  amusements 
of  the  young  people,  in  fact,  be  the  leaders 
and  show  them  by  example  rather  than  by 
precept  how  to  act. 

They  went  about  their  task  quietly,  but 
soon  there  was  a  marked  change.  In  the 
dance  Marcus  and  Janet  were  the  first  and 
leading  couple.  They  made  themselves  as 
prominent  as  they  could,  and  all  had  to  look 
at  the  graceful  couple  and  unconsciously 
follow  them. 

In  all  this  Marcus   and  Janet  put   their 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  151 

whole  soul.     It  was  a  labor  worthy  of  any 
talent. 

Then  came  October,  and  the  conference. 
A  jolly  party  drove  in  to  the  city  to  attend. 
Some  splendid  meetings  were  had.  On  the 
afternoon  of  the  last  day  the  list  of  mission- 
aries called  to  the  world  was  read.  Among 
those  called  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the 
United  States  was  the  name  of  Marcus  King. 
Marcus  immediately  answered  the  call. 
He  had  very  little  preparation  to  make.  He 
called  together  his  counselors  and  some  of 
his  leading  brethren  and  laid  before  them  his 
plans  for  the  new  meetinghouse,  and  they 
said  that  his  ideas  should  be  carried  out  as 
far  as  possible.  John  Dixon  would  look  after 
his  personal  affairs.  He  asked  Janet  if  she 
had  fixed  the  date  for  the  marriage  yet,  and 
she  answered,  no. 

«I  know  people  will  talk,»  she  explained, 
«and  wonder  why  we  do  not  get  married  be- 
fore you  leave,  but  we  will  have  to  stand  that. 
Now,  more  than  ever,  that  date  must  be  un- 
certain. You  will  visit  Hungerton,  and  see 


152  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON 

Alice;  meanwhile  I  will  wait  and  see  how 
things  turn  out.)) 

«Janet,»  said  he,  «I  appreciate  your  motives. 
I  had  not  thought  it  possible  for  woman  to 
sacrifice  herself  for  woman  as  you  are  doing.)) 

(tin  the  end  there  will  be  a  greater  bless- 
ing,)) said  she,  «so  there  really  is  no  sacrifice.)) 

«Yes;  with  the  light  you  have  on  the  sub- 
ject of  God's  eternal  providences,  it  may  be 
possible.  To  the  women  in  the  world  it  would 
not  be.  Janet,  you  are  dearer  than  ever  to 
me  for  what  you  say,  because  it  is  true  that  I 
love  Alice,  and  because  I  do  want  to  see  her 
again.  Now  that's  a  paradox.  You  ought 
to  be  angry  at  that,  to  spurn  me,  or  go  away 
with  a  broken  heart;  but  you  do  neither. 
You  understand  that  it  is  possible  for  me  to 
love  you  both.)) 

But  her  heart  was  full  and  she  did  not  an- 
swer. A  tear  slowly  trickled  down  her  cheek, 
which  Marcus  kissed  away. 

In  a  few  days  Marcus  was  ready.  The 
company  went  with  some  travelers  going 
East.  The  weather  continued  to  be  fair,  and 
good  time  was  made.  As  he  traversed  nearly 


MARCUS   KING,   MORMON.  153 

the  same  ground  over  which  he  had  traveled 
with  his  hand-cart,  Marcus  could  not  help 
but  think  of  that  terrible  trial,  and  then  of 
the  experience  which  had  been  crowded  into 
the  past  three  years  of  his  life.  And  here 
he  was  again,  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel,  not 
with  a  salary,  but  traveling  without  purse 
and  scrip  as  the  Apostles  of  old. 

Winter  had  set  in  before  they  reached  the 
railroad,  but  there  was  no  suffering;  then, 
drawn  by  the  iron  steed,  they  soon  reached 
their  destination. 

Marcus  labored  for  some  time  in  and 
around  the  city  of  St.  Louis.  Here  he  found 
a  number  of  old  time  friends,  some  of  whom 
received  him  kindly  and  others  did  not. 
Marcus  entered  into  his  work  with  keen  inter- 
est. That  he  represented  an  unpopular  peo- 
ple, and  preached  an  unpopular  doctrine  which 
brought  upon  him  much  opposition,  only 
spurred  him  on  and  gave  life  and  zeal  to  his 
labors. 

One  day  he  found  a  college  chum,  one  who 
had  also  entered  the  ministry  and  was  now 
the  popular  pastor  of  a  large  church  in  the 


154  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

city.  His  friend  was  surprised  to  see  him, 
and  doubly  astonished  when  he  learned  some 
of  his  history.  He  invited  Marcus  to  call  on 
him  the  next  evening,  which  invitation  was 
promptly  accepted. 

Marcus  had  walked  all  day  and  was  tired 
and  hungry  when  he  made  his  way  to  his 
friend's  house.  At  his  knock  a  servant  girl 
showed  him  in  and  took  his  hat  and  weather- 
beaten  overcoat.  He  had  no  rubbers,  so  he 
wiped  his  feet  well  on  the  rug  before  enter- 
ing. The  parlor  was  warm  and  well-lighted 
and  Marcus  sank  into  the  cushions  of  an  arm 
chair  with  an  old-time  abandon  to  ease  and 
comfort. 

That  must  have  been  a  dream,  that  trip 
out  in  the  wilds  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and 
he  was  again  sitting  in  his  own  cozy  parlor 
at  Hungerton.  His  mother  would  soon  call 
him  to  dinner,  he  could  hear  the  clatter  of 
dishes,  and  the  delicious  odor  of  cooking 
viands  came  through  the  opening  and  closing 
doors.  Yes,  it  was  all  a  dream;  the  hard, 
long  travel  across  the  Plains;  the  sleeping 
and  eating  on  the  ground;  the  living  in  log 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  155 

houses;  the  poor,  coarse  food;  the  wild,  dry, 
desert  West,  pregnant  with  the  smell  of 
alkali  and  sagebrush;  the  hot  sun;  the  cloud- 
less sky;  the  Mormons  and  all  his  supposed 
friends;  there  was  Janet  busy  with  the  worked 
covering  which  she  said  was  to  be  for  the 
pulpit;  she  leaned  over  her  work,  the  long 
braids  of  dark  red  hair  hanging  over  her 
shoulders;  her  mother  moved  quietly  about  in 
that  little  white-washed  room;  the  plowing 
and  the  planting;  the  irrigating  and  the 
harvesting;  the  haying;  the  digging  of  pota- 
toes that  made  the  hands  rough  and  sore; 
the  long,  hard  day's  work  in  the  hot  sun — 
yes;  what  a  wonderful  dream  it  had  all  been! 

«Good  evening,  Marcus,))  said  his  friend, 
stepping  in,  «I  see  you've  come.)) 

Marcus  crossed  his  knees  again;  he  imag- 
ined for  an  instant  that  his  warm  slipper  was 
dangling  on  the  end  of  his  foot,  but  in  reality 
he  saw  nothing  but  a  wet,  much-mended  shoe. 

«You'll  excuse  me  for  keeping  you  waiting 
so  long?»  said  the  parson. 

«0,  I  am  quite  at  ease,  you  see.  You  have 
it  quite  comfortable  here.)) 


156  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

«Well,  not  as  I  wish.  The  salary  doesn't 
allow  much  yet;  but  I  am  hoping  to  get  a 
raise  soon,  and  then  I  expect  to  fix  up  as  I 
should  like.  If  it's  a  fair  question,  how  much 
do  you  get?  I  understand  you  are  traveling 
in  the  interest  of  the  Mormon  Church?)) 

«WelL  now,»  said  Marcus,  smiling,  «I  don't 
know  yet,  as  the  account  is  kept  by  the  re- 
cording angel,  but  I  hope  I  shall  have  my 
share  of  treasure  when  I  get  to  heaven.  We 
get  no  salary  here.» 

Marcus  saw  that  the  pastor  doubted  his 
word,  so  he  said  no  more  on  that  subject,  but 
the  talk  soon  led  on  to  old  times  and  what 
Marcus  had  seen  in  the  West.  Then  dinner 
was  announced,  of  which  the  hungry  mission- 
ary was  heartily  glad.  His  friend  introduced 
him  to  his  wife,  and  the  three  sat  down  to  a 
dinner  which  again  reminded  Marcus  of  by- 
gone days. 

His  friends  could  not  understand  Marcus. 
That  he  could  forsake  his  all  and  cast  his  lot 
with  the  Mormons  was  beyond  belief.  They 
did  not  say  as  much  in  words,  but  Marcus  un- 
derstood it  from  their  manner.  In  their  talk 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  157 

that  evening,  Marcus  did  not  desire  to  press 
his  doctrines  on  them,  but  when  the  pastor 
began  to  use  sarcasm  in  regard  to  some  of 
the  teachings  of  the  Mormons,  he  put  himself 
on  the  defense.  Especially  was  the  word 
«Saint»  obnoxious  to  the  reverend  divine. 

«My  friend,))  asked  Marcus,  «what  is  a 
saint?» 

«A  holy  person;  not  sinful  mortals  like  we.» 

«You  have  not  read  your  Bible  for  that  an- 
swer. In  olden  times  every  person  who  be- 
came a  member  of  the  Church  of  Christ  was 
called  a  Saint.  They  were  cot  all  perfect 
men  and  women,  but  mortals  as  we.» 

They  sat  around  the  table  cracking  nuts. 
The  parson's  wife  looked  strangely  at  Marcus 
as  he  talked. 

«We  call  ourselves  Saints,  and  the  world 
calls  it  sacrilege.  That  is  because  they  have 
changed  the  meaning  of  the  word.  In  our 
pictures  of  saints,  we  see  some  old-time  monk 
or  nun,  with  eyes  turned  up  to  heaven,  and  a 
long-drawn,  unnatural  expression  on  the  face, 
and  we  are  led  to  believe  that  a  living  flesh 
and  blood  mortal  can  not  be  a  saint.  I  claim 


158  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

to  be  a  better  saint  now  than  a  few  years 
ago  when  I  had  somewhat  of  a  ministerial 
look  on  my  face.» 

Marcus  laughed,  but  neither  the  parson  nor 
his  wife  joined  him. 

«We  are  the  children  of  God,  and  we  are 
here  for  a  purpose,))  continued  Marcus.  «The 
flesh  is  not  an  evil  tenement  to  be  despised; 
by  so  doing  we  despise  the  noblest  works  of 
God.  The  highest  type  of  personal  holiness 
is  not  attained  in  the  cloister,  but  out  in  the 
thick  of  the  world's  temptations,  battling 
with  sin  and  error,  gaining  experience  by 
what  we  suffer,  overcoming,  conquering. 
There  is  opportunity  enough  for  self-denial, 
self-renunciation  in  our  daily  lives.  A  man 
can  be  a  man  and  a  saint  at  the  same  time. 
Manhood,  womanhood,  and  sainthood  are 
synonyms.  Don't  you  think  so  ?» 

«You  haven't  forgotten  how  to  preach  yet,)) 
said  his  friend. 

«Why,  no;  Fm  a  preacher,  you  know.)) 

Out  again  in  the  wild  night,  Marcus  real- 
ized that  he  was  not  dreaming,  but  that  life 
was  real  enough.  The  snow  came  in  thick 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  159 

gusts  and  he  wrapped  his  coat  closely  around 
him,  as  he  went  to  his  lodgings.  His  friend 
had  not  even  asked  him  to  stay  over  night, 
neither  to  call  again  and  see  them.  Well,  it 
was  all  right. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


NE  morning  Marcus  received  a  bunch 
of  letters  from  the  West.  One  was 
from  Janet,  one  from  John  and  some 
from  his  friends.  One  had  come  from  Hun- 
gerton  and  had  traveled  the  long  journey 
back  again.  The  handwriting  was  not  his 
mother's  and  when  he  opened  it  he  knew  the 
cause;  his  mother  was  dead,  now  nearly  two 
months  ago. 

It  was  sad  news  to  Marcus.  He  had  hoped 
to  have  seen  her  yet  once  more;  but  now  she 
had  gone  to  his  father.  She  had  borne  the 
news  of  his  son  to  him.  Did  they  understand 
the  truth  there  and  rejoice  that  they  had  a 
son  on  earth  who  was  an  honor  and  not  a 


160  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

disgrace  to  them  now?  Marcus  believed  they 
did. 

Shortly  after  New  Years,  Marcus  set  out 
on  a  long  journey.  He  meant  to  reach  Hun- 
gerton  early  in  the  spring,  and  even  if  he 
could  do  nothing,  he  wanted  to  see  his 
mother's  grave.  Besides,  there  was  a  little 
property  which  he  would  have  to  dispose  of. 

Marcus  walked  from  village  to  village,  and 
from  farm  to  farm,  preaching  the  Gospel, 
meeting  with  the  usual  ups  and  downs  inci- 
dent to  missionary  life.  People  had  very 
little  use  for  religion.  The  great  question 
before  the  country  was  politics.  The  na- 
tion was  in  a  turmoil.  Congress  was  vainly 
trying  to  adjust  the  rights  of  «slave  States>> 
and  «free  States.))  Kansas  was  the  scene  of 
civil  war.  John  Brown  had  made  his  raid  on 
Harper's  Ferry,  had  been  captured  and 
hanged.  Forebodings  of  the  coming  conflict 
filled  the  air,  and  Marcus  remembered  the 
utterances  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  on  the  sub- 
ject. 

As  he  neared  Hungerton,  it  seemed  to 
Marcus  that  the  people  became  more  indiffer- 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  161 

ent  to  his  religious  teachings.  Some  threat- 
ened him  with  mob  violence  if  he  did  not 
leave  the  country;  but  as  he  did  not  stop  long 
in  one  locality  they  did  not  disturb  him. 

One  day  when  warm  spring  winds  had 
begun  to  thaw  the  snow,  Marcus  trudged 
along  the  country  road.  It  was  extremely 
hard  walking,  as  where  the  snow  was  not  one 
soft  slush  he  sank  over  his  shoe  tops  in 
mud.  He  had  walked  all  forenoon,  and  had 
failed  thus  far  to  get  anything  to  eat.  He 
had  no  money,  so  all  the  afternoon  he  called 
from  house  to  house  in  hopes  of  getting  Gos- 
pel talks  and  something  to  eat;  but  each  suc- 
ceeding house  seemed  more  hostile  than  the 
one  before.  In  the  afternoon  a  storm  came 
up  and  the  rain  fell  in  torrents. 

Marcus'  clothes  were  wet  through,  but  on 
he  trudged.  Between  the  farmhouses  the 
forest  began  to  be  dense,  and  when  evening 
came  on  he  found  it  difficult  to  keep  the 
road. 

Up  to  ten  o'clock  that  night  Marcus  had 
asked  at  twenty-one  places  for  lodging  and 
had  each  time  been  refused.  Now  he  re- 


162  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

solved  to  ask  no  more,  but  walk  on  in  the 
storm  all  night  and  get  to  Hungerton  the 
next  day.  He  would  get  something  to  eat 
and  a  place  to  rest  there. 

So  he  walked  slowly  on.  The  mud  and 
water  ran  in  and  out  of  his  shoes.  He  took 
off  his  overcoat,  as  it  was  filled  with  water 
and  heavy.  The  trees  overhead  obscured  the 
little  light  in  the  sky.  The  wind  howled 
dismally.  Such  an  utter  loneliness  Marcus 
had  never  felt.  In  other  privations  he  had 
had  human  company,  but  here  he  was  alone, 
and  not  a  soul  had  sufficient  milk  of  human 
kindness  in  his  breast  to  take  in  from  the 
storm  a  despised  Mormon  Elder.  He  was 
not  far  from  his  former  home.  No  doubt 
many  along  that  road  would  have  known  him 
had  he  given  his  name.  Three  years  ago  he 
could  have  driven  along  that  same  road  as 
the  Reverend  Marcus  King  and  would  have 
been  royally  entertained;  but  now — well, 
such  was  the  way  of  the  world.  He  did  not 
expect  any  better  treatment;  but,  ugh,  how 
the  streams  of  water  ran  down  his  back! 
He  walked  on,  and  the  rain  still  fell.  He 


MARCUS   KING,   MORMON.  163 

passed  one  or  two  farmhouses,  but  they 
were  dark  and  foreboding.  He  would  travel 
on.  Though  he  was  faint  and  weak,  he  would 
be  refused  no  more  that  night.  The  mud 
clung  to  his  feet  like  great  balls.  The  trees 
brushed  him  with  their  great  wet  arms. 

He  was  following  along  a  pole  fence,  when 
he  came  to  a  clearing.  A  small  house  stood 
close  to  the  road,  and  from  a  window  a  shaft 
of  light  shot  out  into  the  darkness.  As  he 
came  opposite  the  door  he  heard  voices.  He 
would  ask  for  a  drink  of  water.  As  he 
knocked  on  the  door,  the  talking  within 
ceased  and  a  man  opened  it.  Marcus  did  not 
go  in,  dripping  wet  as  he  was. 

«Will  you  kindly  give  me  a  drink  of  water?)) 
he  said. 

«Come  in,  come  in,  sir;  come  in  out  of  the 
storm;))  said  the  man. 

«I  am  dripping  wet.» 

«That's  nothing;  you  can't  spoil  our  car- 
pet.)) The  floor  was  of  cleanly  scrubbed  pine 
boards. 

Marcus  stepped  in,  and  a  young  girl  gave 
him  a  glass  of  water.  A  large,  open  fireplace 


164  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

was  nearly  filled  with  a  burning  log.  The 
room  was  so  cozy,  but  Marcus  turned  to  go 
again. 

«It's  rather  bad  weather  for  traveling;)) 
said  the  man,  «and  you're  out  late  tonight. 
Walking  too?)) 

«Yes,»  said  Marcus. 

The  wife  now  arose,  and  looked  at  her 
husband.  She  had  been  looking  intently  at 
Marcus  all  the  time.  The  man  understood. 

«Are  you  in  a  hurry?))  he  asked. 

«No;  but  I  have  no  place  to  stop  for  the 
night,  so  I  must  be  on  the  move.)) 

«Who  are  you?)) 

«I  am  a  Mormon  Elder,  preaching  the  Gos- 
pel without  purse  or  scrip.  I  have  asked 
for  shelter  and  food  twenty-one  times  during 
the  day,  and  have  been  refused.  I  shall  ask 
no  more,))  and  he  moved  towards  the  door. 

((But,  great  God,  man,  if  you  want  to  stay 
here,  you're  welcome.  I  don't  care  what  you 
are.  You're  cold  and  wet  and  hungry  and 
that's  enough.  Come  up  to  the  fire.  Wife, 
get  him  something  to  eat.» 

The  wife  did  not  obey  instantly,  but  she 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  165 

came  up  to  Marcus  to  take  his  dripping  hat 
and  coat.     She  peered  into  his  face  and  said: 

«Are  you  Marcus  King?)) 

«I  am.     That  is  my  name.)) 

«Why  Henry!))  she  exclaimed,  «this  is  Mar- 
cus King,  your  old  pastor  at  Hungerton.)) 

The  man  came  up  also,  and  took  Marcus' 
hand.  He  looked  closely  into  the  bearded  face. 

«Are  you  the  preacher  from  Hungerton?)) 

«No,  Henry,))  interposed  the  woman,  «you 
know  he  left  Hungerton,  left  the  pulpit  and 
the  church,  and  joined  the  Mormons.)) 

Henry  Sanford  raised  one  hand  to  his  eyes 
as  if  he  would  clear  them  of  some  mist. 
Then  he  knew  him,  and  Marcus  too  recog- 
nized his  friend  whom  he  had  last  seen  in 
Hungerton  jail,  a  religious  madman. 

«I  am  pleased  to  meet  you,  friend  Sanford,)) 
said  Marcus.  «I  am  glad  that  you  are  look- 
ing so  well,  you  and  your  family." 

«Yes;  I  am  well  now,  and  am  rid  of  mind- 
destroying  religion  which  nearly  sent  me  to 
the  asylum.  Religion  is  the  greatest  curse 
on  earth.  Perhaps  I  should  not  say  that,  as 
you  are  a  preacher.  But  I  can  prove  it. 


166  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

The  twenty  who  refused  you  shelter  and  food 
are  all  long-faced  Christians.  I — I  am  an 
unbeliever,  an  infidel — Mother,  what  are  we 
doing?  Can't  you  see  he  is  nearly  starved. 
Fll  get  some  dry  clothes  for  you,  sir;  and 
you'll  stay  over  night  with  us.  This  weather 
is  not  fit  for  a  dog  to  travel  in.» 

In  a  very  few  minutes  Marcus  had  on  dry 
clothing  and  was  sitting  by  the  fire  eating 
supper.  The  children  stood  around  in  si- 
lence. The  father  began  to  talk  about  the 
coming  presidential  election,  while  the  mother 
urged  him  to  eat;  but  the  hour  was  late,  and 
soon  all  retired  for  the  night. 

Marcus  stayed  with  them  all  the  next  day. 
Mrs.  Sanford  told  him  their  story,  how  that 
Henry  had  gradually  regained  his  mind,  and 
how  that  he  had  turned  rank  infidel.  But  it 
was  a  thousand  times  better  than  the  way  he 
was  before,  she  said.  He  was  kind  to  her 
and  the  children,  and  they  all  lived  happily 
on  the  farm  away  from  churches  or  preach- 
ers. Then  she  told  him  what  news  she  knew 
about  Hungerton.  He  also  had  long  talks 
with  Henry, ;  handling  him  wisely.  He  was 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  167 

deeply  interested  in  politics  and  from  that 
Marcus  led  to  science  and  at  last  to  religion. 
Henry  listened  attentively. 
«Is  that  Mormonism?))  he  asked. 
«Yes.» 

«Well,  there's  some  sense  to  that.  Why 
didn't  you  preach  like  that  when  you  were  at 
Hungerton.» 

«I  could  not  give  what  I  did  not  have. 
Now  I  have  and  am  sent  to  give.)) 
«You  hold  meetings?)) 
((Whenever  I  get  a  chance.)) 
«Will  you  preach  in  our  schoolhouse  to- 
morrow?)) 

((With  pleasure.)) 
«A11  right,  Fll  see  to  it.» 
And  he  did.     The  next  day  the  news  was 
spread,   and   early  in  the  afternoon  Henry 
Sanford  drove  with  his  whole  family  to  the 
schoolhouse.     Some  said  that  he  had  «got 
religion))  again,  and  that  the  neighbors  had 
better  look  out  for  one  of  his  crazy  spells; 
but  Henry  was  all  right  and  knew  what  he 
was  doing. 

The  «religion»  which  Henry  Sanford  «got» 


168  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

at  that  meeting  in  the  schoolhouse  did  not  in 
any  way  disturb  his  mental  equilibrium. 
Faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  repentance 
from  sin,  baptism  for  the  remission  of  sin, 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost — these  were  plain, 
simple  truths  substantiated  by  holy  writ. 
The  room  was  fairly  well  filled  with  people 
from  the  neighboring  farms,  and  Marcus 
spoke  with  power  to  them.  A  few  had 
known  him  when  he  was  a  preacher  in 
Hungerton,  and  wondered  at  his  joining  the 
Mormons.  «Such  a  young  man!»  said  one. 
((Such  a  fine  looking  man!»  said  another. 
((Such  a  good  talker!))  said  a  third. 

Marcus  was  not  disturbed  until  towards 
the  close.  Then  a  man  in  a  further  corner 
began  asking  questions.  Marcus  answered 
them,  but  the  man  was  not  satisfied.  Mar- 
cus asked  his  hearers  to  let  him  finish  his 
talk  and  then  he  would  answer  any  question; 
but  it  was  evident  that  the  plan  was  to 
break  up  the  meeting.  The  questioner 
would  not  sit  down.  Others  began  to  talk 
out  loud  and  it  seemed  as  though  the  meet- 
ing would  end  in  an  uproar. 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  169 

Just  then  Henry  Sanford  arose.  He  was 
sitting  near  the  front  and  he  faced  the 
crowd. 

«Ladies  and  gentlemen,))  said  he  in  ringing 
words,  «I  hope  we  are  peaceable  citizens  and 
will  give  this  gentleman  a  respectful  hearing. 
He  will  answer  your  questions  after  he  gets 
through.  Can  there  be  anything  fairer  than 
that?)) 

«His  doctrines  are  deceitful,))  shouted 
someone. 

((You  will  have  a  chance  to  prove  that 
after  awhile,  Mr.  Simson,))  replied  Henry. 
«I  don't  make  many  pretensions  myself,  but  I 
believe  in  the  golden  rule — the  rule,  Mr. 
Simson,  that  I  have  heard  you  expound  more 
than  once.  Now  you  have  a  chance  to  prac- 
tice what  you  preach.  Sit  down,  Mr.  Simson, 
and  don't  disturb  the  meeting.)) 

As  Henry  was  the  justice  of  the  peace,  he 
spoke  with  authority.  The  noise  subsided 
and  the  meeting  went  on.  At  its  close  no 
questions  were  asked,  but  Mr.  Simson  and 
his  followers  got  away  as  quickly  as  possible. 
Marcus  went  back  with  his  friends,  and 


170  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

spent  the  night.  During  the  evening  some 
neighbors  called  in  and  they  had  a  pleasant 
time.  Next  morning  Marcus  went  on  his 
journey.  Henry  would  have  taken  him  to 
Hungerton  in  his  wagon,  but  Marcus  said  he 
preferred  to  walk.  The  distance  was  short 
and  there  were  many  places  on  the  way 
where  he  desired  to  call. 

The  rain  had  ceased.  The  few  remaining 
clouds  were  dissolving  in  the  western  sky 
and  the  sun  shone  bright  and  warm.  The 
roads  were  quite  firm  under  foot.  The  trees 
were  dry.  The  air  was  clear  and  cool,  and 
full  of  the  coming  spring. 

All  forenoon  Marcus  walked  along  the 
road,  calling  at  the  few  farmhouses.  As  he 
neared  Hungerton  the  country  became  famil- 
iar to  him.  At  noon  to  eat  his  lunch  he 
rested  on  the  bank  of  a  creek,  which  had 
been  a  favorite  playground  when  a  boy. 
Here  he  had  often  fished,  and  in  the  woods 
surrounding  he  had  laid  snares  for  the  squir- 
rels. The  creek  was  now  swollen  with  the 
rain  and  rushed^ down  its  bed  in  a  brown 
torrent.  Every  hill  and  dale  and  stream  now 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  171 

recalled  memories  of  the  past  Marcus  lived 
again  as  a  boy  as  he  sauntered  leisurely  past 
the  dear  familiar  scenes  of  bygone  years. 

In  the  afternoon  he  reached  the  «top,»  so 
called  because  from  its  summit  the  whole 
valley  wherein  Hungerton  lay  could  be  seen. 
The  road  skirted  this  knoll  and  often  had 
Marcus  climbed  the  few  rods  up  to  its  bare 
rounded  surface,  even  as  he  now  did.  Here 
he  got  the  first  view  of  the  broad,  still-flow- 
ing river,  within  whose  bended  arm  the 
town  of  Hungerton  snugly  rested.  The  same 
rude  seat  which  had  been  erected  on  the 
«top»  was  there  yet,  and  as  Marcus  rested  on 
its  weather  beaten  boards  he  discerned  the 
initials  which  he  and  his  boy  companions  had 
carved  on  the  back.  It  seemed  so  long  ago, 
at  the  same  time  but  yesterday.  Where, 
now  were  the  boys?  What  had  been  their 
lot?  Where  had  they  roamed,  and  where 
settled?  How  many  of  those  yet  in  the 
town  before  him  would  recognize  the  browned, 
bearded  man  as  their  former  playmate? 
What  schemes  they  all  had  planned!  Yes, 
seated  on  that  same  hill  top,  with  the  same 


172  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

beautiful  panorama  before  them,  they  had 
mapped  out  their  lives,  as  seemed  grandest 
and  best  to  their  boyish  imaginations.  There 
was  Joe,  big,  strong  Joe.  He  was  to  be  a 
merchant  and  marry  sunny-haired  Josie;  but 
Joe  turned  student  and  became  a  college 
professor,  and  didn't  marry  Josie.  Then 
Jim,  the  fastest  runner  in  the  crowd,  whose 
whole  aim  in  life  was  to  learn  to  pitch  a 
curved  ball — he  went  to  school  with  Marcus, 
and  became  a  preacher  too.  And  then  there 
was  Tom,  tow-headed,  freckled-faced  Tom, 
who  took  all  the  bantering  the  boys  and  girls 
gave  him  in  such  a  quiet,  good-humored  way. 
The  last  heard  of  him  was  that  he  was  on 
the  way  to  the  gold  fields  of  California. 
Then  Fred,  who  crushed  his  leg  in  the  woods 
and  ever  after  walked  with  a  crutch.  He, 
instead  of  Joe,  became  the  merchant  and 
married  sunny-haired  Josie.  There  was  lit- 
tle Sammy,  who  couldn't  climb  the  hill  with- 
out getting  out  of  breath.  He  alone  had  not 
wandered,  as  the  little  white  cross  in  the 
graveyard  showed.  Then  there  was  Marcus, 
whose  father  was  the  minister,  who  was  sup- 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  173 

posed  to  set  the  other  boys  a  good  example. 
What  had  become  of  him?  Ah;  he  had  be- 
come the  black  sheep  of  the  lot,  he  had  dis- 
graced the  community,  had  deserted  his 
church  and  his  charge  and,  worst  of  all,  had 
become  a  Mormon. 

Marcus  sat  until  the  sun  sank  low  in  the 
west.  The  river  gleamed  with  burnished 
gold.  The  breeze  tossed  the  swelled  buds  of 
the  trees  back  and  forth,  as  if  rocking  to 
sleep  the  impatient,  waking  children  of  the 
forest.  Then  the  sun  went  down,  and  the 
gray  shadows  crept  over  the  valley  below, 
crept  up  the  hill  sides,  crept  up  over  the 
«top,»  and  the  whole  earth  was  Enwrapped  in 
a  soft  twilight.  Then  the  heart  of  the 
young  man  was  full.  There  was  nothing  else 
for  him  to  do  but  to  sink  on  the  earth  beside 
the  seat  and  pour  out  to  God  the  fullness  of 
that  bursting  heart. 


174  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 


CHAPTER  X. 


E  gas  had  been  lighted  in  the  streets 
of  Hungerton  when  Marcus  entered. 
He  meant  first  to  find  the  lawyer 
who  had  charge  of  his  small  business  affairs. 
He  had  no  money  and  he  did  not  wish  to  ask 
for  food  and  lodging,  without  money  to  pay. 
So  he  walked  up  the  main  street,  noting  the 
changes  in  the  town  and  the  people.  No 
one  knew  him,  although  he  recognized  many 
of  his  old  time  friends.  There  was  a  pecu- 
liar feeling  connected  with  it  all.  There  he 
was,  a  total  stranger  in  a  town  full  of  people 
who  knew  him.  They  crowded  past  him  on 
the  sidewalk,  but  knew  him  not.  He  must 
have  changed  much. 

And  there  was  the  church.  He  saw  its 
outlines  in  the  dark,  and  there  were  lights 
within.  Yes;  there  was  the  iron  fence  and 
gate.  The  same  lamp-post  stood  near  it. 
The  trees  seemed  larger,  but  the  church 


MARCUS   KING.   MORMON.  175 

smaller.  He  walked  by.  People  were  en- 
tering. A  block  up  the  street  was  the  law- 
yer's home.  He  would  call  there,  as  he 
would  not  likely  be  at  the  office. 

Marcus  rang  the  bell,  and  the  girl  that 
answered  him  said  that  Mr.  Brown,  the 
lawyer,  was  out  of  town,  but  would  be  back 
tomorrow.  So  until  tomorrow  Marcus  would 
have  to  wait.  He  went  down  the  street 
again.  People  were  still  going  into  the 
church.  Some  carriages  drove  up  and  their 
occupants  alighted  at  the  gate.  There  must 
be  some  special  services,  or  else  the  people 
had  awakened  to  the  importance  of  the 
week  day  meeting.  Marcus  might  as  well 
join  the  crowd,  and  get  a  look  at  the  old 
church.  He  went  in  and  found  a  seat  at  the 
rear  near  the  door.  The  church  was  nearly 
full.  The  lights  shone  brightly,  and  the 
many  flowers  in  front  filled  the  room  with 
their  perfume.  Being  early  for  flowers, 
Marcus  wondered  at  the  extravagance.  The 
usher  was  unknown  to  Marcus,  so  he  was 
allowed  to  sit  unobserved. 

For  a  moment  Marcus  felt  out  of  place 


176  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

down  by  the  door.  He  saw  that  the  pulpit 
had  been  re-painted  and  upholstered;  other- 
wise it  was  the  same  church.  The  walls 
were  getting  dingy,  and  some  of  the  seats 
showed  signs  of  wear.  It  certainly  was  get- 
ting too  small  for  such  a  crowd  of  people. 

And  now  the  organist  who  had  done  faith- 
ful service  for  both  Marcus  and  his  father 
went  to  the  organ,  and  the  familiar  notes 
echoed  into  the  ears  of  Marcus  King.  They 
brought  him  back  again  to  days  gone  by 
when  he  himself  gave  out  the  hymn  and 
preached  the  sermon.  The  pastor  now 
came  in  from  the  back  door.  He  was  a  mid- 
dle-aged man  with  a  cleanly  shaven  face. 
So  that  was  his  successor  in  office,  thought 
Marcus.  Well,  he  certainly  looked  pious 
enough  to  suit  the  most  orthodox.  The 
pastor  did  not  proceed  with  the  services,  but 
arranged  the  flowers  as  if  he  was  wait- 
ing for  something.  Then  Marcus  learned 
from  the  whispering  around  him  that  he  was 
about  to  witness  a  marriage  ceremony.  He 
was  somewhat  disappointed,  as  he  had  ex- 
pected to  hear  the  new  pastor. 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  177 

More  carriages  drive  up,  and  there  is  a 
bustle  outside.  The  people  turn  and  look 
towards  the  door,  and  whisper,  «There  they 
come.))  The  party  come  up  the  walk  and 
enter  the  vestibule  where  there  is  some 
delay.  Then  they  enter.  Marcus  does  not 
turn  around  but  first  catches  sight  of  them 
as  they  walk  up  the  aisle.  The  man  is  tall 
and  broad-shouldered;  the  girl's  slim,  grace- 
ful figure  is  clothed  in  white.  «The  best 
men))  and  bridesmaids  follow  and  Marcus 
distinguishes  among  them  some  of  his  ac- 
quaintances. The  parson  meets  the  com- 
pany in  front  of  the  pulpit,  and  is  arranging 
them  into  their  proper  places  for  the  cere- 
mony. 

Marcus  is  now  interested.  He  had  not 
married  many  couples  himself,  but  he  re- 
membered one  old  pair  of  fifty  and  sixty, 
and  how  odd  it  was  for  him,  a  young  un- 
married man,  to  bind  together  such  old 
people.  But  now  the  group  is  arranged  and 
the  young  people  to  be  married  step  to  the 
front.  The  gas  lamps  shine  directly  on  them 
and  Marcus  sees,  apparently  looking  directly 


178  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

at  him,  the  pale  beautiful  face  of  Alice 
Merton! 

For  an  instant  the  whole  scene  is  a  blur  on 
his  vision;  then  from  it  comes  but  one  sharp 
outline,  the  figure  of  Alice.  She  stands 
there  young  and  fair,  more  beautiful  than 
ever.  She  folds  her  hands  in  front  and 
hangs  them  listlessly'down,  as  if  she  were  a 
victim  waiting  resignedly  for  the  sacrifice. 
Her  face  is  white. 

The  awful  truth  bursts  upon  Marcus  as 
with  a  mighty  flood.  There  is  Alice,  his 
Alice,  to  be  married,  to  be  bound  for  life  to 
the  man  at  her  side.  The  thought  is  un- 
bearable. Marcus  presses  hard  the  back  of 
the  chair  in  front  of  him.  Yet  there  they 
stand.  The  parson  is  slow  in  beginning. 

During  that  brief  space  of  time  Marcus 
lived  over  again  his  life  with  Alice  Merton. 
(Afterward  he  thought  of  the  wonder  of  it  all, 
how  that  every  detail  of  years  could  be 
crowded  into  a  panorama  to  be  flashed  before 
his  mind  in  an  instant.)  Then  as  a  climax 
came  again  the  last  scene  between  them;  but 
what  could  he  do?  He  was  helpless.  She 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  179 

would  have  to  go.  She  would  have  to  be 
another's,  and  not  his. 

The  minister  steps  up  to  the  pair,  the 
woman  on  the  left,  and  the  man  on  the  right. 
Then  to  the  hushed  spectators  he  begins  to 
speak: 

((Dearly  beloved,  we  are  gathered  together 
here  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  in  the  face  of 
this  company,  to  join  together  this  man  and 
this  woman  in  holy  matrimony;  which  is 
commended  of  St.  Paul  to  be  honorable 
among  men:  and  therefore  is  not  by  any  to 
be  entered  into  unadvisedly  or  lightly;  but 
reverently,  discreetly,  advisedly,  soberly,  and 
in  the  fear  of  God.  Into  this  holy  estate 
these  two  persons  present  come  now  to  be 
joined.  If  any  man  can  show  just  cause 
why  they  may  not  lawfully  be  joined  together, 
let  him  now  speak,  or  else  hereafter  forever 
hold  his  peace.)) 

((Darling,  darling,  you  are  mine,my  very  own 
for  time  and  for  eternity!^  rang  in  Marcus' 
ears  louder  than  the  words  of  the  minister. 
Those  words  were  inspired  and  could  not  fall 
to  the  ground  unfulfilled. 


180  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

Marcus  arose  and  stepped  out  in  the  aisle. 
«Alice,    Alice    Merton,  I  object  to  your 
marrying  that  man,»  he  said. 

He  stood  still  and  erect  amid  the  death- 
like silence.  Most  of  them  knew  him  then 
by  the  familiar  voice,  and  they  were  awed  by 
the  scene.  The  person  had  never  been  inter- 
rupted like  that  before,  and  was  visibly  un- 
certain what  to  do.  The  bridegroom  turned 
to  him  and  bade  him  go  on  with  the  cere- 
mony. Then  Marcus  spoke  again  in  tones 
not  loud  but  penetrating: 

«I  am  Marcus  King.  Alice,  do  not  marry 
that  man.  You  are  mine,  mine,  Alice,  by  the 
eternal  laws  of  God!» 

An  audible  oath  escaped  from  the  lips 
of  the  young  man.  Murmurs  ran  through 
the  church,  then  silence  again  as  Alice 
raised  her  hands  to  her  head.  She  took  a 
step  or  two  forward  as  if  she  would  walk 
down  the  aisle,  and  then  fell  to  the  floor. 

In  the  confusion  which  followed  Marcus 
stepped  back  to  the  door,  and  stood  there 
looking  on.  Those  that  passed  out  glared  at 
him,  as  they  would  at  a  venomous  reptile. 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  181 

He  saw  that  Alice  was  lifted  up,  and  carried 
to  the  platform,   and  when  she  again  re- 
gained consciousness  he  heard  her  whisper: 
((Take  me  home.» 

Then  he  went  out  and  down  the  street. 
****** 

For  the  second  time  Marcus  King  had 
made  a  great  sensation  in  his  native  town. 
By  the  next  day  the  news  was  the  talk  of  the 
town.  Opinions  were  various.  Some  claimed 
that  he  did  right  in  rescuing  Alice  Merton 
from  the  hands  of  an  adventurer.  Some 
said  that  the  Mormon  should  have  been  tar- 
red and  feathered  and  driven  from  the  coun- 
try. Others  shook  their  heads  and  didn't 
know.  A  few  had  seen  Marcus'  weather- 
stained  coat,  but  more  had  observed  his 
majestic  bearing  as  he  had  stood  in  the 
aisle  protesting  against  the  marriage. 

Marcus  himself  had  gone  that  evening 
direct  to  a  hotel  and  ordered  supper  and  a  bed. 

During  the  night  he  slept  fairly  well  and 
next  morning  managed  to  reach  Mr.  Brown's 
office  without  a  stir  on  the  street.  The 
business  that  could  be  attended  to  that 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

morning   being  soon  finished,  Marcus  went 
back  to  the  hotel  where  he  spent  the  day 
reading  and  writing  letters.     Here  he  heard 
the  gossip  and  gleaned  from  it  that  Alice 
had   been  taken  home.     The  marriage  had 
been   indefinitely    postponed.    In  fact,  the 
would-be  bridegroom  had  somewhat  brusque- 
ly demanded  that  the  ceremony  should  go 
on,  and    had    quarrelled    with    Alice's   old 
father.     Then    he  had   left,    no   one   knew 
where,  and  it  was  believed  by  many  that  he 
was  afraid  of  Marcus,   that  Marcus  knew 
something  more  of  him  than  any  one  else  in 
Hungerton.     When  Marcus  was  approached 
on  the  matter  and  when  he  denied  any  pre- 
vious knowledge  of  the  man,  plainly  he  was 
not  believed. 

But  what  move  to  make  next  was  not 
clear  to  Elder  King.  He  would  have  to 
stay  a  few  days  in  the  town,  but  what  to  do 
about  Alice  he  knew  not.  He  did  not  re- 
pent of  what  he  had  done  in  the  church, 
because  he  believed  with  many  more  that 
the  man  she  was  about  to  marry  was  an 
adventurer;  besides,  he  had  other  personal 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  183 

reasons.  But  what  good  would  come  of  it, 
anyway?  He  longed  to  make  bold  and  call 
on  Alice.  She  must  be  very  sick,  by  what 
he  heard;  and  he  could  believe  that  from  the 
face  he  saw  in  the  church.  Marcus  had 
concluded  that  he  must  see  Alice  before  he 
left  Hungerton  for  good,  but  for  that  open- 
ing he  could  only  wait. 

All  the  day  he  moved  about  no  more  than 
was  necessary,  not  that  he  was  afraid  of 
anybody,  but  he  considered  it  wisdom  to  be 
quiet.  A  few  friends  called  on  him,  with 
whom  he  talked  pleasantly,  and  told  of  the 
new  country  in  the  valleys  of  the  West. 
That  evening  he  visited  some  relatives  of 
John  and  Eliza  Dixon,  and  got  home  late. 
The  next  day  he  was  busy  with  Lawyer 
Brown  until  in  the  afternoon.  He  had 
heard  nothing  about  Alice  that  day. 

Looking  out  of  the  window  of  his  room,  he 
saw  Mr.  Merton  drive  up  to  the  hotel  in  the 
old  familiar  buggy.  He  got  out,  fastened 
his  horse  and  came  in.  Presently  there 
came  a  knock  on  the  door  and  a  boy  told 
him  that  he  was  wanted. 


184  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

(ds  it  Mr.  Merton?»  asked  Marcus. 

((Yes,  sir.» 

((Then  show  him  up.» 

Mr.  Merton  had  aged  very  much.  Marcus 
could  see  that  his  hair  was  white  and  that 
his  hands  trembled  as  he  met  him  in  the  hall 
and  led  him  into  his  room.  The  old  man 
was  not  angry,  but  shook  the  hand  that 
Marcus  offered  him  in  a  mild,  unconcerned 
way.  Then  he  took  the  proffered  chair  and 
sat  and  looked  at  Marcus  for  some  time. 

«May  I  ask  you  how  Alice  is?»  said 
Marcus. 

«She  is  ill,  very  ill,  sir.» 

Still  he  looked  at  the  young  man  in  that 
strange  way. 

«I  sincerely  hope,  Mr.  Merton,  that  I  was 
not  the  cause  of  this  illness — perhaps  I 
should  not  have  been  so  rash — but  you 
know—» 

«Yes;  I  know.  Don't  worry  over  that, 
young  man.  Alice  was  ill  all  the  time,  and 
should  not  have  tried — but  he  forced  it.  I 
might  as  well  tell  you  the  truth,  and  that  is 
that  you  did  a  good  deed  in  stopping  the 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  185 

marriage.  I,  Marcus» — and  as  the  old  man 
pronounced  the  word,  his  tone  became 
softer — «never  encouraged  Alice  in  casting 
you  off,  when  you  joined  the  Mormons.  She 
did  it  on  her  own  responsibility— are  you 
still  a  Mormon?)) 

«Yes,  sir.)) 

«Well,  it's  all  right,  I  guess.  Everybody 
to  their  notion  about  such  things,  though  I 
must  say  that  I  think  it  would  have  been 
much  more  comfortable  if  you  had  remained 
with  us.  And  now,  what  I  came  for  is  this: 
Alice  wants  to  see  you.  Will  you  come?)) 

Marcus'  heart  gave  one  great  leap  for  joy. 

(dt  will  be  the  greatest  pleasure  of  my 
life,))  said  Marcus,  «to  once  more  look  upon 
her  face.)) 

«Then  you  love  her  yet?» 

<d  have  never  ceased  to  love  her.» 

«And  she  loves  you,  too,»  the  old  man  mur- 
mured as  they  walked  into  the  hall. 

In  a  few  minutes  Marcus  and  Mr.  Merton 
were  driving  from  the  city  out  into  a 
country  road  which  followed  the  broad  river. 
Very  few  words  were  spoken.  Soon  they 


186  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

came  in  sight  of  the  gray  farm  house  back 
towards  the  hills,  up  to  which  they  drove. 
Marcus  knew  the  place  well  and  remembered 
its  beauty  in  the  summer  when  the  trees 
nearly  hid  it  from  view;  but  now  it  had 
grown  gray  and  weather-stained,  correspond- 
ing to  the  sombre  woods  around  it. 

Marcus  alighted  at  the  side  door  and  was 
met  by  the  mother.  She  took  his  hand  and 
welcomed  him,  but  there  was  a  coldness 
about  her.  She  took  his  hat  and  gave  him  a 
chair. 

((Alice  wants  to  see  you,»  she  said.  «If  you 
will  excuse  me  for  a  few  moments  I  will  see 
if  she  is  awake- » 

During  her  absence,  Mr.  Merton  came  in. 
While  he  was  hanging  his  coat  in  the  hall 
way,  he  motioned  to  Marcus. 

«You  must  excuse  Mother,))  he  said,  ((if 
she  treats  you  coldly.  She  doesn't  under- 
stand. She  believes  in  Mr.  Carlton  yet  and 
blames  you.  She  has  had  great  influence 
over  Alice  and  nearly  forced  her  into  it,  and 
it  is  only  for  Alice's  sake  that  she  would  have 
you  come.  You  understand,  Marcus?)) 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  187 

«I  can  appreciate  her  feelings,  I  think,)) 
was  the  answer.  «I  do  not  blame  her.» 

They  went  in  again,  and  soon  the  mother 
came  back.  Alice  was  awake  and  feeling 
strong  enough  to  see  Marcus,  so  he  was 
shown  into  her  room.  The  mother  went  out 
and  closed  the  door,  leaving  the  two  alone. 
Aljce  had  asked  her  to  do  that. 

The  afternoon  sun  shone  bright  and  warm, 
and  the  blinds  of  the  large  west  window 
were  drawn.  A  ray,  however,  came  through 
at  the  side  and  now  fell  across  the  bed  where 
Alice  lay  propped  up  on  the  white  pillows. 
When  she  saw  him  she  said  «Marcus!»  and 
held  out  her  arms.  He  walked  softly  up  to 
the  bed,  bent  over  her  and  the  white  arms 
encircled  his  neck.  She  drew  his  head  down 
beside  hers  and  held  it  fast  while  she 
whispered: 

«Forgive  me,  Marcus,  forgive  me!)) 

But  all  he  could  say  was,  «Darling,  oh  my 
darling!)) 

There  are  times  when  many  words  are 
weak,  meaningless  things,  and  that  time 
had  come  in  the  life  of  Marcus  and  Alice. 


188  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

Language  may  communicate  thought,  but 
that  was  not  what  was  wanted  now.  The 
feelings  of  two  souls  had  accumulated,  and 
had  been  pent  up  for  a  long  time.  The 
natural  channel  between  two  hearts  had 
been  clogged.  But  now  every  obstacle  was 
removed  and  freely  the  current  of  love  flowed 
between  them.  The  emotions  are  best  indi- 
cated by  a  look,  a  motion,  a  pressure  of  the 
hand.  Words  are  useless.  Silence  is  the 
more  eloquent. 

Then  the  arms  relaxed  and  fell  down  on  the 
coverlet,  and  as  Marcus  sat  by  the  bedside 
he  took  the  thin  hands  in  his  and  held  them 
gently.  The  big,  blue  eyes  filled  with  tears, 
yet  she  smiled  through  them. 

«You  have  forgiven  me,»  she  said,  «and  I 
thank  you,  Marcus.)) 

Then  she  closed  her  eyes  as  if  to  sleep,  and 
he  smoothed  back  the  hair  from  her  forehead. 

«It's  been  too  much  for  you.  You  are 
tired.  I  shall  go  now  that  you  may  sleep.)) 

«I  am  tired,  and  I  believe  I  could  sleep  if 
you  will  stay.  Marcus,  you  must  not  go 
away  any  more,  you  must  stay  until — » 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  189 

«Yes,  I  will  not  leave  you  until  you  are 
well— but  don't  talk  any  more.  There,  now, 
you  must  rest.» 

He  kissed  her  closed  eyes  and  softly  left 
the  room.  The  father  was  walking  back 
and  forth  on  the  floor,  the  mother  sat  by  the 
table  with  her  face  in  her  hands. 

«I  think  Alice  will  sleep  now,»  said  Marcus. 

The  father  gave  a  sigh  of  relief.  «She 
has  hardly  slept  for  two  nights,»  he  said. 

The  mother  also  felt  better  and  was  more 
cheerful  as  she  walked  back  and  forth  from 
the  supper  table  to  the  door  of  the  sick 
room,  and  seemed  to  feel  more  kindly  to- 
wards Marcus.  After  supper  Alice  awoke 
much  refreshed.  The  lamp  was  lighted  and 
the  three  went  in.  Alice  spoke  to  them  in  a 
cheerful  way.  Then  the  doctor  came.  The 
father  and  Marcus  went  with  him  outside  to 
learn  his  opinion.  He  shook  his  head. 

«But  she  is  better,  isn't  she?»  asked  the 
father. 

«She  seems  so,  this  evening;  but  it  is  only 
temporary.  The  girl  has  no  vitality.  She  is 
all  run  down.  This  has  been  with  her  for  a 


190  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

long  time.  The  attempted  marriage  only 
brought  the  inevitable  a  little  sooner. 

«Is  it  that  serious,  doctor?))  asked  Marcus 
somewhat  alarmed. 

«I  am  telling  you  the  truth.  I  do  not  care 
to  conceal  the  facts  from  you.  There  are 
very  small  chances  of  her  recovery.  She  may 
linger  for  some  time  or  she  may  go  rapidly.)) 

Mrs.  Merton  asked  Marcus  for  Alice's 
sake  to  remain  at  the  farm  house.  If  he 
was  not  busy,  they  would  consider  it  a  favor; 
and  Marcus  said  he  would  stay  as  long  as  he 
could  be  of  any  use. 

The  doctor's  words  could  not  be  doubted. 
The  next  day  Alice  was  weak,  weaker  than 
usual;  and  although  she  did  not  talk  much 
there  was  a  smile  upon  her  face.  Marcus 
sat  by  the  bedside  and  she  seemed  content 
when  her  hand  lay  in  his.  The  mother  saw, 
and  now  understood,  and  left  them  alone 
much  of  the  time. 

Spring  days  came  on  in  rapid  succession. 
The  sun  was  bright,  the  winds  were  warm  and 
all  nature  stirred  in  its  efforts  to  awake  from 
its  wintry  sleep.  The  grass  on  the  sunny 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  191 

sides  of  walls  and  ridges  began  to  be  green. 
The  buds  of  trees  swelled  ready  to  bursting. 
The  bees  came  from  the  hive  and  buzzed 
around  the  windows.  The  air  was  filled  with 
fresh  spring  odors. 

And  as  everything  without  slowly  awoke 
to  life,  so  one  within  gently  sank  into  death. 
The  spring  days  went  calmly  by  and  Marcus 
was  yet  at  the  farm  house. 

It  was  one  of  those  still  afternoons  when 
the  world  seemed  taking  a  much  needed  rest 
that  Marcus  was  sitting  in  his  usual  place  by 
Alice.  They  were  alone.  The  few  sounds 
from  the  adjoining  rooms  were  low;  the 
loudest  seemed  to  come  from  the  little 
round  clock  on  the  mantel. 

((Marcus,  bless  me  again.  I  want  you  to 
talk  more  to  me.» 

Marcus  took  from  his  pocket  a  vial  of  oil, 
anointed  her  with  a  few  drops  and  then,  plac- 
ing his  hands  on  her  head,  blessed  her. 

«Now  I  feel  stronger,))  she  said.  «Tell  me 
more  about  Joseph  Smith  and  what  he  did 
— and  the  angels  and  all  those  wonderful 
things.)) 


192  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

And  he  talked,  quietly  and  in  soft  tones, 
and  told  her  the  whole  beautiful  story: 

«And  out  there  in  Utah,»  she  continued, 
«you  said  it  was  a  wild  country.  Tell  me 
about  it.» 

So  he  told  her  of  the  mountains  and  the 
valleys,  the  streams  and  the  Great  Salt  Lake. 

«Marcus,  that  friend  of  yours — Janet.  Have 
you  her  picture?)) 

«I  think  I  have  a  small  tintype.)) 

«Will  you  let  me  see  it?» 

From  a  packet  of  letters  he  drew  out  the 
picture  and  handed  it  to  her.  She  looked  at 
it  for  some  time. 

«It  is  a  good,  sweet  face;  and  you  like 
her,  don't  you,  Marcus?)) 

«She  is  a  good  girl.» 

«Yes;  much  better  than  I — sh,  don't  con- 
tradict me.  I  know.  I  know  a  lot  now. 
When  I  am  gone,  you  will  go  back  to  Utah 
and  marry  her.» 

«My  dear  Alice—)) 

«Yes;  I  want  you  to.  It's  all  right. 
Bring  me  that  little  box  on  the  dresser.)) 

Marcus  brought  it. 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  193 

«The  key  is  hanging  on  the    wall;  yes, 
that's  it.» 

She  unlocked  the  small  rosewood  box  and 
from  it  took  a  letter  which  she  handed  to  him. 
((That  letter  is  from  Janet.  It  is  the  most 
wonderful  I  have  ever  received.  I  did  not 
know  a  girl  could  write  such  a  letter  and 
mean  it.  Did  she  mean  it,  Marcus  ?» 

((Janet  would  deceive  no  one;  but  of  course 
I  don't  know  what  she  said.» 

«Read  it.» 

Marcus  read  the  letter,  and  Alice  watched 
his  face. 

(d  think  she  means  every  word,»  he  said. 

((What  does  she  mean  by  marriage  for 
time  and  eternity?)) 

He  explained. 

Then  she  closed  her  eyes,  and  held  the  tin- 
type to  her  cheek.  The  mother  looked  in 
but  did  not  enter. 

Alice  reached  for  his  hand,  and  she  held  it 
close. 

((Marcus,  Marcus,  0,  I  am  so  glad.  Such 
light,  such  blessed  light.  I  can  die  in  peace.)) 


194  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

Then  she  fumbled  in  the  box  again  and 
found  a  ring. 

«Do  you  remember  it,  Marcus?  You  gave 
it  to  me.  Now  I  want  you  to  give  it  to 
Janet  with  my  love  and  blessings 

Marcus  took  it,  but  his  heart  was  too  full 
for  words.  The  clock  ticked  on.  A  breeze 
pushed  the  branches  against  the  window 
panes.  The  tintype  dropped  from  the  pale 
fingers  and  Alice  slept  again. 

Marcus  stayed  with  her  to  the  last.  The 
grass  and  the  trees  were  green  and  the  first 
spring  flowers  were  out  when  she  died.  Mar- 
cus prevailed  on  the  father  and  mother  to  let 
her  be  buried  in  his  own  lot,  close  beside 
his  mother.  The  old  parents  now  seemed 
to  cling  to  Marcus  as  to  a  son,  and  it  was  a 
sad  day  when  he  bade  them  farewell.  While 
at  Hungerton  Marcus  received  a  call  to 
another  field,  and  he  at  once  made  prepara- 
tions for  the  journey.  He  held  no  public 
meetings  at  his  native  town.  The  Lord 
would  excuse  him  for  that,  he  thought;  but 
before  he  left  he  had  the  rude  crosses  taken 
from  his  parents'  graves  and  three  neatly 


MARCUS  KING,  MORMON.  195 

finished  marble  stones  placed  within  the  new 
iron  railing  around  his  lot.  One  of  them 
stood  by  a  newly  made  grave,  and  on  it  was 
inscribed,  besides  the  name  and  dates: 

«There  is  no  death!  What  seems  so  is  tran- 
sition. 

This  life  of  mortal  breath 
Is  but  a  suburb  of  the  life  elysian, 

Whose  portal  we  call  death.)) 


196  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 


CHAPTER  XL 


fT  was  one  of  those  sublime  winter  even- 
ing only  seen  in  the  clear  atmosphere 
of  the  high  western  regions.  The 
whole  earth  was  white  below  and  the  sky 
above  was  deep  blue,  set  with  innumerable 
twinkling  diamond  points.  To  the  west  the 
plain  stretched  like  a  vast  sheet  of  purest 
white.  To  the  east  the  mountains  arose 
buried  under  their  ermine  covering.  Every 
rocky  crag,  each  deep  hollow,  was  decked 
and  filled  with  snow  until  the  otherwise 
rough  surface  was  shining  smooth. 

The  well-trodden  snow  creaked  under  their 
feet  as  Marcus  and  Janet  walked  arm  in  arm 
down  the  principal  street  of  Hernia. 

«What  is  this  business  of  so  much  import- 
ance?)) asked  he. 

«Well,  they  didn't  tell  me,  of  course,))  she 
answered.  «A11 1  was  to  do  was  to  bring 
you  there  and  ask  no  questions.)) 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  197 

((Strange  they  couldn't  manage  for  another 
day  without  getting  after  a  fellow  the  day 
he  gets  home — I  wanted  to  spend  the  even- 
ing with  you,  Janet.» 

«Well,))  she  laughed,  as  she  clung  the  closer 
to  his  arm,  ((am  I  not  with  you?)) 

«Yes,  but— hello,  what's  this?  Who's  liv- 
ing in  my  house?)) 

((Let's  go  in  and  see.» 

They  paused  in  front  of  the  house  Marcus 
had  left  unfinished.  He  saw  that  it  was  now 
completed.  A  bright  light  gleamed  from  the 
windows  and  the  smoke  curled  from  the  chim- 
ney. Janet  led  down  the  path  and  knocked 
on  the  door.  When  it  was  opened,  there  was 
a  room  full  of  people. 

((Brothers  and  sisters,))  said  Janet,  «let  me 
introduce  you  to  the  Bishop  of  Hernia.)) 

Then  what  a  scene  there  was!  The  crowd 
filled  two  large  rooms,  and  around  he  must  go 
and  shake  every  one  by  the  hand.  Then 
there  were  welcomes,  and  questions,  and  words 
of  jolly  banter,  until  Marcus  was  fairly  car- 
ried away  by  it  all.  Then  when  he  had  made 
the  rounds,  Janet  was  again  at  his  side.  The 
13 


198  MARCUS  KING,  MORMON. 

older  members  of  the  company  each  took  a 
candle  and  marched  two  by  two  into  the 
third  room.  In  the  center  was  a  long  table 
spread  with  food.  As  they  filed  in  and  seated 
themselves  on  the  benches  on  each  side,  the 
candles  were  placed  in  wooden  blocks  with 
holes  in.  Marcus  and  Janet  sat  at  the  head 
of  the  table.  A  blessing  was  asked,  and  then 
one  of  Marcus'  counselors  made  a  speech  of 
welcome,  to  which  Marcus  replied  in  a  few 
words. 

Then  the  eating  began,  and  right  merrily 
it  went  on  for  a  time.  Suddenly  in  the  midst 
of  the  confusion,  somebody  pounded  on  the 
table  for  order,  and  Brother  Woods  arose, 

«I  want  to  speak  in  this  meetin',»  he  be- 
gan, «'cause  Brother  Johnson  didn't  tell  it 
all.  I  reckon  Brother  King  ought'er  know 
why  we  have  took  such  liberties  with  his 
house,  an' I  want  ter  tell  him.»  [((That's  right. 
Go  ahead.*] 

«Well,  yer  see,  when  a  man's  on  a  mission  his 
affairs  at  home  kinder  stop,  an'  when  he  gits 
back  he  has  to  begin  all  over  again.  I've 
seen  it  lots  o'  times.))  [((Hear,  hear,  So  have  /.»] 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  199 

«So,  thinks  I,  Brother  King'll  need  a  house 
when  he  comes  home  to  put  his  wife  in,  'cause 
then  o'  course  he'll  take  fur  good  Brother 
Brigham's  advice.  [Loud  applause.]  Well, 
an'  right  now  I  must  make  a  confession.  All 
you  folks  thought  I  had  orders  from  Brother 
King  to  go  ahead  with  the  house,  but  I  didn't; 
I  done  it  on  my  own  hook.  [«0A,  0A.»]  Yes, 
I  could  see  that  Bishop  didn't  know  nothing 
about  buildin'  log  houses,  an'  that  the  way  he 
was  doin'  it  would  spile  a  lot  o'  good  logs,  so 
while  all  his  beautiful  plans  and  drawings  on 
paper  was  locked  up  in  his  box,  I  went  to 
work  an'  finished  this  house  'cording  to  my 
notion.))  [Tremendous  applause  and  laugh- 
ter.] 

«An'  folks,))  with  a  wave  of  his  hand,  «I 
tell  ye,  with  the  'ception  of  the  meetin'house, 
it's  the  finest  in  the  town.  It  has  all  the 
latest  improvements  an' — » 

His  speech,  which  was  the  longest  he  had 
ever  been  known  to  make,  was  interrupted 
by  a  burst  of  song  from  the  other  rooms,  and 
Brother  Wood  had  to  sit  down. 

So   the   evening  passed,  and  at  its  close 


200  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

Marcus  again  thanked  them  all,  and  espe- 
cially Brother  Wood.  Marcus  and  Janet 
stood  by  the  door  and  shook  each  one  by  the 
hand  as  they  went  home.  John  and  Eliza 
were  the  last. 

«You  folks  go  on  home,»  said  John  to 
Marcus.  ((We'll  see  to  the  house.» 

And  Marcus  wrapped  Janet's  cloak  about 
her  with  a  tender  touch,  and  they  walked 
home  in  the  starlight. 

The  next  afternoon  it  snowed.  Marcus  went 
over  to  Janet's.  She  was  alone.  The  grate 
was  full  of  a  warm  fire.  The  little  room 
looked  very  much  the  same  as  it  did  three 
years  ago.  And  Janet,  she  must  have  ex- 
pected company.  She  did  not  wear  her 
working  dress,  surely,  and  there  was  just  a 
tiny  wave  in  her  hair. 

«Janet,»  said  Marcus,  «I  believe  you  have 
grown.  You  look  taller.)) 

«You  must  be  mistaken;  but  I  have  had 
fine  health.  Haven't  been  sick  a  day.  Per- 
haps that  accounts  for  it.» 

«You  certainly  look  well,  and  Janet,  you 
have  grown  so  beautiful!)) 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  201 

«0,  shame,  Marcus,  to  tell  such  stories!)) 

He  sat  down  by  the  blazing  hearth,  placed 
a  chair  near  him  and  motioned  Janet  to  take 
it.  Then  they  sat  for  some  time  looking  in- 
to the  fire. 

«You  got  my  letters  that  I  wrote  after 
leaving  Hungerton?» 

«Yes.» 

((Would  you  like  to  see  a  picture  of  Alice?)) 
He  took  it  from  his  pocket  and  handed  it  to 
her. 

«It  agrees  with  my  mental  picture.  I 
thought  she  looked  like  that.)) 

Then  they  talked  for  some  time  about  his 
experiences,  and  the  affairs  at  home. 

«Who  was  that  man  Alice  was  about  to 
marry?))  asked  Janet. 

((Didn't  I  tell  you  his  name?  Let  me  see. 
I've  nearly  forgotten  it.  Oh,  yes,  it  was 
Carlton,  George  Carlton,  I  believe.)) 

((Why,  Marcus,  that  was  the  name  of  my— 
but  no,  it  couldn't  be  the  same  man.)) 

((He  was  a  tall,  broad-shouldered,  black- 
haired  man.  I  saw  him  only  once— in  the 
church.)) 


202  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

«It  must  have  been.  I  heard  he  had  gone 
in  the  direction  of  Hungerton,  but,  but — how 
strange!  The  man  to  whom  I  was  once  en- 
gaged answered  to  the  same  name  and 
description.)) 

«That  is  strange.  Could  it  have  been  the 
same  fellow?)) 

((But  that's  all  in  the  past,  and  I  don't  like 
to  talk  about  it,»  said  she. 

«Then  we  won't.)) . 

«Tell  me  more  of  Alice.))  She  looked 
again  at  the  photograph.  He  drew  a  ring 
from  his  pocket,  took  her  hand  and  tried  it 
on  her  finger. 

«Does  it  fit?»  he  asked. 

((Exactly.)) 

((That  was  Alice's  ring.)) 

«And  do  you  want  me  to  wear  it?» 

((Alice  sent  it  to  you.  One  of  her  last 
requests  was  that  I  give  you  the  ring  with 
her  love  and  blessing.)) 

((Thank  you.  Poor,  dear  Alice!  I  will  wear 
it  always.)) 

((She  got  your  letter  as  I  told  you,  and 
pondered  long  over  it;  but  she  died  with  full 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  203 

faith  in  the  Gospel  and  a  fair  understanding 
of  its  principles.  When  we  go  to  the  En- 
dowment House  we  must  do  her  work  for  her.» 

«Yes,  certainly.  I  have  thought  of  the 
same.)) 

Then  the  door  softly  opened  and  someone 
stole  in  and  placed  one  hand  over  each  of 
their  eyes. 

«Guess,  who  it  is.)) 

((Mother,))  exclaimed  both  at  once. 

((Then  don't  sit  the  fire  out,))  said  Sister 

Harmon. 

*  *  *  *  *  * 

A  bright,  sunshiny,  winter  morning  Marcus 
and  Janet  drove  to  town  in  the  sleigh,  and 
spent  the  day  in  the  Endowment  House. 
There  were  in  reality  two  marriage  cere- 
monies performed  and  Marcus  King  got  two 
wives  in  one  day.  True,  one  of  them  was  in 
the  spirit  world,  but  there  was  no  incon- 
sistency in  that  ordinance  to  one  who  be- 
lieves that  this  life  is  but  a  span  in  the 
eternities  of  existence.  Janet  insisted  that 
Alice  should  be  first,  so  she  stood  in  her 
place,  and  did  a  true  sister's  part  for  the  de- 


204  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

parted  one;  and  afterwards,  when  it  came  to 
her  turn,  she  was  repaid  for  it  all  by  the 
double  blessing  she  received.  «Her  joy  was 
full» — more  words  would  add  nothing  to  the 

meaning'  of  that  expression. 
****** 

And  now,  dear  reader,  if  you  have  been  pa- 
tient with  me  this  far  I  must  tell  you  a  secret— 
a  secret  that  I  have  been  tempted  more  than 
once  to  betray,  but  which,  I  think,  I  have 
kept  pretty  well  until  now—and  that  is  that 
I,  Marcus  King,  have  personally  written  the 
pages  of  this  little  history.  I  began  this 
writing  with  no  other  idea  than  to  keep  the 
narrative  in  the  third  person  until  the  end, 
but  as  I  progressed  I  saw  that  if  I  did  so  one 
of  the  chief  results  to  be  attained  by  my 
story  would  not  be  realized. 

Let  me  explain.  Shortly  after  I  joined 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints  many  of  my  former  friends  began  to 
talk  disparagingly  of  me.  Some  criticised  me 
severely,  calling  me  a  turn- coat,  a  deserter 
to  my  father's  cause,  and  so  forth.  Some  of 
my  readers  may  remember  how  many  of  the 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  205 

leading  religious  papers  of  the  East  railed 
against  me.  At  the  time  I  paid  no  attention 
to  it.  Lately  I  received  a  clipping  from  an 
eastern  paper  purporting  to  be  an  account 
of  my  career.  Who  could  have  invented 
such  stuff,  I  cannot  conceive.  At  the  same 
time  I  have  received  a  number  of  letters  in- 
quiring about  me.  Seemingly  many  people 
are  interested  in  me  and  my  doings,  and  it 
occurred  to  me  to  write  out  somewhat  of  my 
story  and  print  it.  Now  if  any  of  my  east- 
ern friends  care  a  twenty-five  cent  piece 
to  know  the  true  state  of  affairs,  I  shall  be 
pleased  to  mail  each  of  them  a  copy  of  my 
book. 

So  much  for  preface,  sandwiched  in  here 
at  the  wrong  end. 

But  just  a  word  to  my  unbelieving  friends: 
Someone  has  said  that  the  glory  of  life  is 
its  fullness.  I  believe  that.  Had  I  remained 
with  you  in  the  world,  I  should,  no  doubt, 
have  had  a  much  easier  time.  I  could  have 
lived  and  died  in  Hungerton  respected  by  you 
all.  I  could  have  gone  my  daily  rounds  from 
my  library  to  the  church,  wanting  nothing  to 


206  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

make  life  one  smooth,  pleasant  journey— if 
God  had  not  shown  me  the  little  pond  in 
which  I  was  playing,  the  frail  boat  in  which 
I  was  sailing,  and  then  the  mighty,  boundless 
ocean  beyond  the  horizon  of  my  limited 
vision.  I  say  with  that  little  «if,»  I  could 
have  been  with  you  yet,  but  what  would  have 
entered  into  my  life  to  develop  it,  to  give  it  a 
rounded  fullness!  Dear  frieods,  believe  me, 
this  life  is  a  reality.  It  is  meant  to  be 
something.  We  are  here  to  do  and  not 
merely  to  say,  to  act  and  not  merely  to  be- 
lieve. To  be  good  and  true  is  not  to  draw  a 
long  face,  to  be  religious  is  not  to  be  stupid; 
but  I  have  already  expressed  myself  on  that 
point  to  one  of  your  members,  as  I  have 
recorded  in  a  previous  chapter. 

Again,  some  of  you  have  impugned  my 
motives.  My  only  answer  to  that  is  in  my 
story. 

And  now,  to  all  interested,  (and  I  hope  my 
story  has  been  of  interest  to  my  brethren  and 
sisters  also)  I  am  writing  these  last  pages 
some  years  after  the  close  of  the  events  nar- 
rated in  the  former  part  of  this  chapter;  and 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  207 

as  I  look  back  on  those  few  intervening 
years  I  will  tell  you  what  I  know  of  my  (and 
I  hope  our)  friends  who  have  figured  thus 
far  in  my  story. 

First  I  must  tell  you  that  I  have  built  an 
addition  to  my  house.  It  is  of  brick  and  a 
story  and  a  half  high.  I  write  these  lines  by 
the  open  upper  window  looking  out  west- 
ward toward  the  lake.  It  was  a  hard  blow  to 
Brother  Wood  to  think  that  his  house  wasn't 
good  enough  for  me,  and  I  had  to  explain  to 
him  that  a  Bishop  needed  much  room  to  en- 
tertain all  his  visitors.  We  have  no  children 
yet,  and  I  could  not  use  the  argument  t)f  a 
growing  family.  I  shall  not  tear  down  the 
log  house  until  after  Brother  Wood  dies. 

I  have  corresponded  regularly  with  Alice's 
parents,  and  whenever  missionaries  have 
visited  them  they  have  been  kindly  treated. 
It  was  just  last  month  that  I  received  the 
news  of  their  baptism.  Old  as  they  are, 
they  would  not  wait  longer,  and  now  they 
are  anxious  to  come  to  Utah;  but  I  have  told 
them  not  to  attempt  the  journey  yet.  The 
railroad  will  soon  be  finished  and  then  they 


208  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

can  come  much  easier.  And  so  they  are 
waiting. 

Henry  Sanford  was  the  same  staunch 
friend  to  the  Elders,  but  did  not  join  the 
Church.  None  gave  them  a  warmer  welcome 
nor  defended  them  more  from  persecution 
than  he;  but  when  the  war  broke  out  he 
joined  the  army,  and  in  that  long,  hard  strug- 
gle which  has  just  closed,  he  must  have  met 
his  death.  I  have  not  heard  from  him  since. 

Certainly  strange  things  happened.  Last 
week  I  re-baptized  Robert  James.  He  now 
lives  here  in  Hernia,  and  is  one  of  the  best 
workers  in  the  ward.  He  wandered  about  the 
country  for  years,  but  he  acknowledges  to  me, 
he  could  not  escape  from  Mormonism.  So  he 
gave  it  up,  humbled  himself  and  came  back. 
He  is  very  quiet  and  unassuming,  but  every- 
body knows  that  I  am  one  of  his  converts. 
So  they  respect  him,  and  he  is  the  happiest 
man  in  the  settlement. 

Mother  Harmon  died  a  year  ago. 

John  Dixon  is  a  prosperous  farmer.  His 
barns  and  granaries  are  growing.  They 
need  to:  his  family  is  in  the  same  condition. 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  209 

Hernia  is  prosperous.  The  people  give  the 
credit  to  the  Bishop,  but  the  Bishop  gives 
it  to  his  wife,  and  his  wife  to  the  Lord. 

Just  a  word  about  the  meetinghouse. 
The  people  finished  it  according  to  my  plans, 
and  even  exceeded  them  in  elegance.  The 
trees  are  now  quite  large  and  the  ivy  is 
creeping  up  the  walls  and  over  the  roof. 
None  can  estimate  the  refining  influence  that 
house  has  had  on  our  people,  and  especially 
the  younger  portion.  I  can  see  a  vast  differ- 
ence between  our  young  folks  and  some  I 
know  in  the  neighboring  settlements. 

And  that  Mr.  Carlton — 

((Never  mind  that  Mr.  Carlton.)) 

It  was  Janet.  She  had  been  looking  over 
my  shoulder,  and  if  there  is  anything  that 
bothers  me,  it  is  that.  I  might  have  been 
vexed  with  her  but  she  now  leaned  over  so 
far  that  her  cheek  touched  mine. 

«Well,  I'll  not  say  anything  about  him 
then;))  I  said. 

((No;  don't.)) 

((Then  I  guess  I'd  better  write  the  end.» 

«No,    not  yet.    I  think    you'll    have  to 


210  MARCUS  KING,   MORMON. 

either  make  a  change  in  a  back  page  or  an 
explanation  now.» 

«What  do  you  mean?» 

Janet  picked  up  a  sheet  of  the  manuscript 
and  read,  «I  Marcus  King  have  personally 
written  the  pages  of  this  history.)) 

((That's  wrong,  because  I  wrote  some  of 
it.» 

I  stared  at  her,  not  knowing  what  she 
meant.  Then  she  looked  over  my  pile  of 
papers  and  picked  out  some  sheets  of  an 
earlier  chapter  from  which  she  read  that 
Marcus  King  was  thought  of  as  having  ((high 
ideals,))  ((nobility  of  character,))  and  so  forth. 
I  took  the  sheets  from  her,  and  there  sure 
enough  was  her  handwriting  for  a  page  or 
more;  and  she  had  connected  the  thought  so 
nicely. 

((Well,))  said  I,  «it  would  have  been  foolish 
for  Marcus  King  to  have  said  that  about 
himself.)) 

«But  it  is  true,))  said  my  wife,  ((and  with 
your  explanation  it  may  stand.)) 

I    put  the  leaves  back  in    their    place. 


MARCUS  KING,   MORMON.  211 

Janet  came  around,  pushed  the  table  away 
from  me  and  sat  down  on  my  knee. 

«Look  at    that    beautiful    sunset,))    she 
said. 

We  do  have  grand  sunsets  at  Hernia.  I 
can  not  conceive  of  any  finer  ones  even  in 
Italian  skies.  There  was  a  bank  of  heavy 
pearl-white  clouds  in  the  west,  which  formed 
themselves  into  great  domes,  and  high 
mountains  with  fathomless  chasms  between. 
Then  the  edges  of  the  upper  layers  were 
tinged  with  pink  which  grew  to  a  shining, 
golden  red.  As  the  sun  sank  lower,  and  its 
rays  got  under  the  cloudland,  mountains  and 
domes  turned  into  a  brilliant,  burning  red, 
and  then  it  seemed  that  there  was  another 
world  out  in  space  being  consumed  with  fire. 
The  crimson  sun  ^dropped  down  behind  the 
mountain,  yet  the  sky  was  all  ablaze. 
((What  do  you  think  about  it,  Janet?)) 
«It  is  grand,  it  is  grand;  I  think  it  is  a 
faint  reflection  from  the  glory  of  God.» 

THE   END. 


